The Hidden Countries
by Akari-Chan'96
Summary: Rose Potter and her friends were getting desperate, there was only one Horcrux left - Nangi. Unfortunately Rose can't get to it. This was when Hermione suggested the snake summoning scroll from the Hidden Countries... They hadn't expected to run into ninja, blood debts or the possibility of being related to one of them... This is going to be one hell of a ride. Re-Write! FemHarry!
1. Parallel universes, and Blood Debts

**The Hidden Counties**

**Chapter One**

**Parallel universes, strange bodyguards and a**_**... Blood debt!?**_

Rosemary Potter hated where she was at the moment, she really did. Of course many people have called Rose's tastes strange over her very few years on the earth, but his time _anyone_ would agree. Very strange people and very normal people were both alike scared of war.

She knew she was not normal, you could never be normal when you happened to be a very famous witch – yes, a wand waving, and broom flying witch. The part of the matter was that they – Rose's friends and her, were in the middle of fighting a war. This war, as many people had classified it was the 'deciding' war. The war to end all wars with Voldemort, he'd either win and rule or lose and die – _this was it._

Rose knew the only reason that this would be the deciding war was because of her – and that damnable prophecy. The stupid thing had gotten everyone believing that _she_ was the chosen one – the only one who could kill Voldemort. She _did_ as a matter of fact happen to be the only one who was able to defeat him, but she wasn't sure how everyone else knew of this. It was confusing.

At this point in time, Rose knew what she had to do – even if she didn't want to. Rose had to defeat Voldemort she really had no choice in the matter. The easy part was over – the easy part of course being trying to figure out how to do defeat old Tom. The hard parts was on Rose and her friends now.

She'd had a mission – to find and destroy all of Voldemort's Horcruxes. It wasn't the easiest thing that she could have ever done in her life. Dumbledore had left her quite the task to do with that. She wondered sometimes – Why was it her that had to do all of this? Ron and Hermione were doing this with her, but it wasn't their job – it was hers.

Rose was very grateful for Ron and Hermione's continued help and support – she really was, without them she wouldn't have gotten as far as she had. Voldemort had six Horcruxes, and so far five of them were gone thanks to their help.

The first one had been Tom Riddle's sixteen year old diary; she'd destroyed that when she was twelve. She hadn't meant to then, she had just wanted to save Ginny's life. She hadn't even known what it was back then.

The next had been Dumbledore, he'd destroyed the ring. Then they had destroyed the locket. Hufflepuff's cup had been the next victim on their hit list. Then they'd gotten the people inside Hogwarts, (namely Ginny and Neville) to destroy Ravenclaws tiara thing. There was only one thing left – Nagini, Voldemort's pet snake.

This one so far would have had to be the hardest – because Rose knew that Voldemort was on to her. She knew that he knew that she was hunting his Horcruxes. This made him paranoid and he wasn't letting the damn snake out of his sight.

This would have to be the_ only _reason that Rose was going through with Hermione's insane, and not to mention _crazy_ plan. Rose was getting despite for a solution, all she wanted was the war to be over and then she could go back and beg Fred to take her back. Yes, it was a grand plan – granted she didn't get_ killed_ in this stunt they were pulling.

What was the stupid stunt they were pulling, one might ask? It was relatively simple to begin with, if you ignored every rule they were breaking and possibly ripping a hole between two universes and damaging both of them to the point of destruction. They were going to transport themselves to another dimension.

It was simple really. According to Hermione there were many different ones – but the one that had been recorded in history as the one most connected to theirs – for some odd reason – was The Hidden Countries.

There wasn't much known about them, except that they all spoke Japanese for some reason. Many people that had been there had either chosen to stay there, or come back but be very cryptic about the time spent there. So there wasn't much to research on.

With that in mind - Hermione had done more research and then they all knew Japanese thanks to an odd spell/seal thingo. Rose was glad for Hermione's portable library at that moment. At the start she had been convinced that they didn't need that many books – but with this crazy plan? then she was sure that the library of books was very needed.

But no amount of preparedness was going to help her gain a confidence with this plan. It was idiotic and stupid, but what else could they do? It was the only way. Rose was willing to do anything at this point – _anything._

"It's ready, you ready, Rose, Ron?" Hermione asked softly. She was hunched over a simmering cauldron, a thin sheen of sweat covering her face.

Rose and Ron looked at eat other very briefly before nodding their heads in union. They had an agreement – while they both thought this was easily the most stupid thing they'd _ever_ done. It was their last option – they're l_as_t hope. And for the love of Merlin it better work out for the better.

**:) **~THC~** (:**

They'd been travelling around the forest for awhile. Rose hadn't known that ripping the fabric of the universe and getting into another dimension meant spending the rest of her life lost in a forest. It didn't seem at all fair, but then again what Rose called 'the rest of her life' had so far been just over an hour.

No one had ever accused Rose of being an_ overly_ patient girl.

To say the least Rose was very happy when they'd finally managed to find their way out of the forest – she'd been getting nervous in there. They'd found themselves on a dirt road – not a very fancy dirt road – but a road was a road, and the three without much talking decided to follow the road. The best idea they'd had all day – of that Rose was sure. After an hour or two, they'd stopped by a lake for a break.

Rose didn't know if it had been safe to stay in the open like this, would they get hurt or something or the other? Hermione assured her they were perfectly safe but...

"Are you sure that this is safe?" Rose asked again as she laid down near the edge of the lake. Hermione was sitting against a tree not too far away from Rose as was Ron.

"Yes, for the last time. It's perfectly safe for us to be out and about here," Hermione responded clearly irate.

"I'm just making sure... Geez, no need to go all PMS on me..." Rose said trailing off slightly. Hermione's eyes widened and she looked like she wanted to strangle Rose. Maybe she shouldn't have said that? Where was her brain to mouth filter again?

Ron for once in his life decided to be the peace keeper. "Okay, so now that we're here... what's next?"

Rose looked at Hermione for the answer to that, Ron seemed to have directed the question at Hermione as well. Hermione looked at them both with a raised eyebrow.

Ron groaned, and Rose felt his sentiment. "Are you telling me that you -"

"Shh!" Rose interrupted with a very soft hiss.

Ron looked at her confused. "Someone's coming, I can_ feel_ it."

Rose stood up, before Hermione shook her head and said, "No sit down, hopefully they just pass us off as teenagers enjoying the afternoon by the lake."

Rose's eyebrows shot up at that and she watched the anger spike on Ron's face. "_Hopefully?_ What do you mean _hopefully?"_

"_Well - "_

"Shut up!" Rose said again, when she noticed who she had somewhat sensed before.

There were five of them. And four out of that five had some sort of vibe going on – a dangerous one. But the three youngest – they couldn't be older than eleven or twelve, seemed to be on a very basic level.

Rose couldn't bring it in herself to fear the children. Or the old grey haired man – he was about as dangerous as Lockheart. No, what made her pause was the white haired male – white hair, such an odd colour but hanging around with Tonks who favoured pink, Rose wasn't one to judge. Hell, one the of the pre-teens had pink hair – so she shouldn't judge... _out loud._

He was tall, easily six foot tall – maybe more, or slightly less, she wouldn't know but he was_ really_ tall. From the small amount of skin she could see, he was fair-skinned too. He only had one eye – or she could only see one eye, which was very dark, maybe an onyx colour? ... Was that even an eye colour? He had some sort of headband with a metal plate covering his other eye, and a navy mask that covered most of his lower face. Was this normal?

Rose continued to assess what she figured was the biggest treat that she'd seen so far – a survival instinct really. The older male – because he was diffidently around the late twenties – early thirties, was also very interesting. He wore a navy coloured outfit, baggy navy pants, and a navy long sleeved shirt that was rolled up slightly, with two red swirls on the sides. He wore a green sleeveless jacket – a flak jacket? He wore sandals and had bandages wrapped around the end of his pants leg. It was an odd slight.

But it wasn't the clothing or his looks that had Rose intrigued, no it was his decidedly lazy expression and posture and still managing to set off all of Rose's danger alarms. It was a puzzle surly – one that Rose probably wasn't going to be able to solve – it was a pity really.

"Hey! You kids shouldn't be out here! You know who dangerous it is right?" The gray-haired man, that Rose had deemed about as threatening as Lockheart yelled at them, seemingly worried for them. Awe, that was really nice of the stranger.

Rose now looked over the man; he was a nice person after all. You had to be nice when you took concern for three teens that you didn't know. In Rose's book this made the man okay. He had grey hair – very different from the interesting man's hair. He had glasses, a beard and dark-looking eyes. He wore a sleeveless v-neck shirt with some sort of belt, dark-coloured pants, and a towel around his neck and a pointed wooden hat.

It was saddening that he wasn't as big a mystery as the white-haired man was. The only thing that stopped her think 'just another old man walking past' was his face full of genuine concern – _for them._ It was an oddly novel experience.

"Ah yes?" Hermione said with a warm smile, "Danger? We're just travelling though..."

In essence a smart story. Just travelling though, but where were they travelling to exactly?

The grey-haired man frowned at them, "Oho, it's not safe for kids like you to be wondering around these parts! You best get to your destination very quickly!"

While he was saying this, Rose's attention shifted to the other people in the old-mans party. The white-haired man had gone oddly rigid, he still looked calm but he also looked ready to fight. His eye narrowed at the three teens. The younger children just looked annoyed at the interruption. It was then that Rose wondered what it was that they were all doing.

"What _is_ your destination?" The white-haired man asked, softly – but his voice as hard as steel. What an odd thing! It was so confusing! Rose felt like she was Hermione at that moment – just wanting to take apart that man and see how he managed to act the way he did.

"Nowhere in particular." Ron said in a carefree voice. Rose knew better than to think he was being carefree – but playing the part of teens travelling for the fun of it? They could play that.

"Just going from town to town – trying to see it all," Rose added on the end to support Ron's words. He didn't seem convinced. Rose wasn't sure how she knew, but she did. He still had that look of pure laziness and the posture of a person ready to strike but Rose knew that he was very paranoid about them. She wondered why? Could it be because of what they were doing? What were they doing that required an old man, an adult and three children? "Pretty fun, really."

An eyebrow was raised, was that all she was going to get? A raised eyebrow? Then suddenly the white-haired man shouted, "Everyone, get down!"

All the people in his party instantly ducked down to the ground. The old gray haired man got dragged down by the black-haired boy. Rose saw a giant ass sword plant itself on the tree opposite them. Rose didn't have to be Hermione to know if they hadn't ducked then all of their heads would have been chopped off. What kind of place had they taken themselves to?

A man jumped down onto the sword, and stood there for a minute as if assessing his environment. Rose used this time to see how dangerous this guy would be. He was tall, and noticeably muscular with very pale skin. He had short spiky black hair – a similar colour to her own – brown eyes and very small eyebrows. He - like that white-haired ninja - had a mask over the bottom half of his face – but these looked like bandages. Was it common here to have masks? Rose was starting to believe that it was almost mandatory to. He too had a headband with a metal plate, it had a strange marking on it but he had a giant slash though his and his headband was sideways on his head.

He was an odd person and Rose's first instinct was to run, very, _very far_ away. Rose usually listened to her instincts – but for some reason she didn't this time. It was because of an urge to see what would happen, what kind of place they had found themselves in.

"Well, well, if it isn't Kirigakure's nuke-nin, Momochi Zabuza. The demon of the mist," The white haired ninja whispered, in a voice loud enough to carry though the entire field. For the time being, forgetting that Rose and her friends were there.

Rose was in a state of slight confusion, what was a Kirigakure? It sounded like a sort of town, possibly. A nuke-nin was an unheard of term; she'd have to ask Hermione later on that one. And lastly she guessed that the man's name was Momochi Zubaza. The statement left a hell of a lot more questions than it had answered.

Momochi stared at the white-haired man with a serious stare. Rose watched as the battle-ready, lazy man turned into a solitarily serious man, intent of winning a battle. How in the name of Merlin did he do that? It was so cool, kind of – in a certain way... maybe?

"Sharingan no Kakashi," Momochi muttered back in a deep but carrying voice. So this was the white-haired man's name was? Kakashi? At least she was placing names to the faces now. "Sorry but... the old man is mine."

He looked at the old gray-haired man like how a death eater would look at a muggle or muggle-born. Not a pleasant look. Rose's instincts were screaming at her to run, but the only thing she did was glance at Ron and Hermione and back up slightly so the three of them sat – crouching slightly, all together. They had serious looks on their faces, but they didn't seem to be willing to leave and not watch what was unfolding. This suited Rose fine.

"You three protect Tazuna-san," The man – Kakashi ordered the children with a brief almost un-noticeable glance back at the three teens. He reached to his headband with one hand while giving some sort of hand sign with the other. "This guy's on a whole other level than the other two. Against him... I'll need this."

This made Rose's brain whirl – other two? Was he some sort of body guard? That would make sense, he was a bodyguard and he was protecting Tanzuna? While the three children were... his apprentices? It was a bit young for them to be dragged into something like that...

Kakashi evened out his headband raising it over his second eye. Joy, now he had 20:20 vision... now what?

"I get to see it so early... I'm honoured." What in earth's name was that guy on about? What is _it? _Why in Merlin's name was she and her friends still here? They should run now. But she couldn't seem to want to pull away. This was going to end badly for her, she knew it.

"Let's see how things pan out – wands at the ready but remain unseen!" Rose hissed out to them so quietly that Rose almost didn't hear her herself. She even said it in English – she was undoubtedly very paranoid.

The three young children formed a perimeter around the old man. The black-haired kid in the front, the pink haired girl to his left and the yellow haired kid (because there was no way that that colour was blonde and not yellow,) was to his right. Together they formed a sort of triangle shape.

The three children brandished some sort of strangely shaped knife. Rose felt the slight triennials of panic. They really should get out of there – they should. But as it stood – there was a lot of things that they didn't understand so far and these were the only nice people she'd seen so far. And truly kind people were very hard to find. So with this in mind she stayed put.

"I'm here to kill the old-man," Momochi said bluntly. Causing shivers to go up Rose's spin, a cold-blooded killer then, she saw Ron and Hermione pale at those words. "But it seems... I'll have to beat you first, Kakashi!"

Momochi grabbed the handle of the sword and kicked off the tree in a fast blur. It was... concerning to see a man so... big move so fast. Rose could berley keep up with his movements!

"Ninpo: Kirigakure no Justsu."

After the words had left Momochi's mouth a thick fog, a mist covered the whole area making it almost impossible to see. Rose felt the needed to get out now, before they all died.

"_Protego,"_ Hermione hissed out, causing what Rose knew to be a bubble surrounding them. At least they'd be safe – most likely.

"He'll come after me first," Kakashi calmly informed his students. There! How did he remain so calm in the middle of a battle like this!? Was it some trick of how he was raised? Were things different here by that much? "Momochi Zabuza... was known for his mastery of the silent homicide technique. Before the enemy even notices it, they're dead. Be careful."

Rose almost didn't believe how harsh and blunt this man was being with children so young. She had always admired blunt and straight to the point people, what was the point in sugar-coating it when you were going to die? But... they were so small... the blonde haired one even more so... Rose almost involuntary tensed, this was a fight – a very, very scary fight.

"Eight choices," a disembodied voice whispered. "Liver, lungs, spine, clavicle, neck, brain, kidneys... Heart."

This seemed to be an odd and rather messed up person they were dealing with. Should they step in on this fight or let it play itself out? Rose felt and hand grabs her arm, she recognised it as Ron's, and she understood what he meant. Don't interfere until absolutely necessary. Rose trusted Ron with matter's like these – the strategic move. Man was a mega-mind on strategy.

Rose couldn't see anything happen, she couldn't hear anything happen. Until the fog lifted sightly and she saw the white-haired man – Kakashi stab Momochi. He exploded into a ... puddle of water? And Rose thought she'd seen strange things before...

"Sensei, behind you!" The yellow haired kid, in a neon orange jumpsuit yelled, his cerulean eyes widening drastically.

Kakashi barely had time to turn his head and see that Momochi was already swinging his sword at him. The sword cut though the white-haired man like butter... he disappeared into... a puddle of water as well. What was with the people here!?

"The hell?" Ron muttered from his spot next to her. Momochi turned his head to see the three teens, and Rose realised that Momochi had forgotten they were there. There and easy for being used as a hostage or something. But, these people wouldn't care about them if they had to choose. Rose was sure they'd pick their mission over three teens they'd talked to for a whole of _five minutes._

But then again, the shield was still there. It wasn't like Momochi could hit hard enough to break it, right?

"Don't move. You're finished."

Another Kakashi – really how many of him was there? He appeared behind Momochi with one of those oddly shaped knives in his hand pointed at his neck.

"Cool! You rule! Kakashi-Sensei!" The blonde kid yelled happily with a relived grin, relaxing heaps.

Momochi gave a dark humourless laugh. "Finished? By your crass imitation of my jutsu?"

Another Momochi appeared – now really! - behind Kakashi. "I'm not that easy to fool!" He yelled at them, as the first Momochi disappeared into a puddle of water.

"This is ridiculous," Hermione muttered under her breath. Rose agreed with the brown haired girl's words almost exactly.

Momochi used some sort of momentum to anchor his sword in the ground, and then shift his hands as he pushed off the blade as he launched a kick. Epic, but really not what Rose was hoping to see. Kakashi flew backwards from the force of the kick.

Before Rose knew it there was a really big sword in front of her face – not yet touching Hermione's shield. She froze and so did everyone else in the field.

"Heh, now Kakashi – what will it be? Three innocent kids or... the old man?"

Rose restrained herself from cursing the man – considering there was a shield charm up; it would most likely rebound and hit her. That would be bad.

Rose watched as Kakashi froze and watched the scene, she felt... like she might die. But then again she had a shield and she didn't think this Momochi could break it too easily. Hopefully.

Momochi brought his sword back further until it hit the shield and was sent rebounding off the shield. He froze, everyone looked slightly shocked. Rose realised this was a bad thing, a _very_ bad thing.

"Now what's this? A special little group, huh?"

Rose was never known to have a brain to mouth filter – she should really invest in buying one of those, it might be useful in the near future. "Teh, sure thing, idiot..." she mumbled under her breath – not meaning for anyone to hear. But somehow he had.

Rose added superhuman hearing to her list of characteristics about people who were natives to this universe.

Faster than Rose could comprehend he brought his sword back and wacked the shield. Not dissolving it completely, but Rose could sense a crack in the shield – one more hit was all it would take.

The people here were also unusually strong – so much so that they could break a magical shield with a _sword. A muggle weapon, _Rose wasn't sure if she should be annoyed at this new revelation or not.

Either way with the second swing and the other people just standing there, watching like it was some sort of entertaining show, Rose and her friends ducked and rolled as the hit cleanly broke Hermione's barrier.

Rose rolled away but was still the closest to Momochi, her short black hair falling into her emerald green eyes. She should really invest in some sort of headband.

Momochi grinned darkly and went to hit Rose – as she was closest- to be stopped by a blur of blue and white. Oh no, she had not just been saved, no. That would be bad.

Rose watched on as Kakashi fought on with Momochi, did he realise what he'd just done by saving her? She owed him a blood debt. She had to do something for him that was equal to the worth of her life – which was usually done by saving his life.

Blood debts were serious things. Not something that could be ignored. She was a witch, one with a pure-blood father – not meaning to sound racist – and pure-blood's at least the ones with honour and a smidge of pride always repaid their blood debt.

Rose as a matter of fact did have honour and pride. She _knew _she should have run when she had the chance. Because now? Now she was in debt to the frankly slightly interesting, and very irritating (Because she has to waste time on him now,) White-haired man, or was he a bodyguard?

_**A/N- This is a really re-written version of my first story, with the same name. So if you've already read a story 'slightly' like this then it was mine... I needed to change it slightly to fit the end place I wanted it at – I also felt like some things weren't very... clear and not very well thought out... I take that back – it was well thought out – trust me. But it wasn't coming though in my writing – so here's go number two. And there is not going to be go number three or anything. Just number two. Sorry for the fuss guys, really. **_

_**Sorry to all of you guys, but I hope you like the newer 'and better' (In my opinion anyway) version. Review and tell me if the new first chapter is better than the old one! Or if you're only just finding this...If it's any good to begin with... Thanks for reading!**_

_Ja ne! _

_~Akari-Chan!_


	2. Chapter 2

_**The Hidden Countries**_

_**Chapter two**_

_**Annoying bodyguards or ninja? And a irritating blood debt. **_

Rose had always gotten into the strangest situations – _always_ since before she could remember. When she was six she'd turned her teacher's wig blue – a much better colour if you asked her. When she was eight she'd teleported herself onto the schools roof somehow – she'd been running from bullies. When she was eleven she'd set a snake onto her cousin. She had gotten into worse situations after she started at her magical school though.

But none of them compared to where she was now. The white- haired bodyguard, Kakashi and his students had just defeated the bad guy. As Rose assumed he was, sort of – and the buff man had been taken away by some sort of hunter-nin. Rose had wondered what the bloody hell a hunter nin was, but first they had to deal with the bodyguards, who had turned on them the second the hunter-nin had left.

They held a staring match for a few moments – the younger children held out their knives again. Was she going to die via getting stabbed? She had never thought of getting killed in that way.

"Now," Hermione began slowly before the teacher stumbled slightly, but he quickly righted himself. Never the less Rose cut Hermione off; she couldn't let the man get injured or worse killed! That would be bad – very bad!

"No! Don't die! Um... We can't let that man die!" Rose yelled almost hysterically pointing at the white-haired man. Gaining a lot of odd looks from people around her, (Except Ron, who had a slight idea of what was going on).

"What? HUH!?" The blonde haired student yelled at her – obviously confused. They all were, the white-haired man just narrowed his eyes – wait! Was one of his eyes red? How had she not noticed this before? Did it do something special?

The blonde went ignored – mainly because of Hermione. "What, Rose? What are you on about?" She sounded slightly panicked. This was going to complicate things but she couldn't leave, until she had payed off her blood debt. She would rather get rid of it now then let it wait and have it damage things further on. Pettigrew had died because of his blood debt – she was not going to let that happen to her.

"Blood debt?" Ron cut in, confirming his theory. Rose just nodded her head in a sulky way. Ron's and all the bodyguards – bar the blond ones- eyes widened drastically.

"But! But what's that!?" The blonde yelled again pointing at the red-haired boy in a dramatic fashion. Rose considered the possibility of the boy being an idiot.

"It's when someone owes the other person their life, Baka." The black-haired kid – she wished she knew their names... said to the Blondie.

"What!?"

Kakashi hummed, "Quite you two. We can talk about this at a later time, right now-" he didn't get to finish his sentence because he fell face first into the dirt ground.

Rose's eyes widened, no he wasn't allowed to die yet! She could possibly lose her bloody magic! That was not an option here! She should have just run when she had to option too... Stalker mode was locked on.

_**(:~THC~:)**_

There were many things Rose and her friends had been in their lives; students, teachers, friends, siblings, children, and so on, but one thing they had never been? Stalkers. Stalking might be fun, if it wasn't for the distrustful glances and the sharp knives, but they saw it though.

That man needed to stay alive. No one really knew what the consequence of breaking a blood debt was, simply because no one to date had really broken one. Well, when Pettigrew tried to break his – he'd died. Killed by his own magic hand. But Rose didn't know if it was him killing himself or the debt talking. Either way – she wasn't going to risk it.

"Is there no food shops in this place?" Ron asked the other two girls irritably. Rose couldn't blame him; she was really hungry as well. It had been a few days since Rose managed to incur a blood debt but the white-haired male hadn't woken up yet. Not wanting to impose on the family – like the nice people they were – they had said they'd be back when he was better.

They hadn't asked to be informed, Hermione would know almost instantly – magic was wonderful at times. So all they could do was wait and plan out their moves here carefully. They had all the time in the world (-insert sarcasm here-) but they just had to do everything smartly. Like figure out where this snake-summoning scroll could ever be.

"Ron, shut up," Hermione snapped and for once Ron didn't rise to the argument – it was rather nice.

Ron sulked though. "Rose, do you think – there'd be any way out of the debt?" Hermione asked the back-haired girl.

Rose shrugged her shoulders, even if there was she wasn't willing to risk it.

"Even if there was she shouldn't risk it – horrible things have happened to people who ignore blood debts," Ron informed them, in a cool informative tone, completely getting over being told to shut up.

"Horrible things?" Hermione asked curiously. It was some sought of sign for disaster – Hermione hadn't already known something.

"Death, loss of power," Ron said just as seriously. Rose shuddered, no; she did not particularly fancy those. Hermione glanced at Rose.

"You're right, let's not risk it."

Rose sighed, "It is going to complicate things though... How're we going to figure anything out while I'm trying to find a way to save this guys life?"

Ron rubbed his face with his hand, a clue that he had absolutely no idea what-so-ever. Hermione nodded her head, "We'll have to do it, and you focus on... saving his life?"

This did not feel right to Rose at all. This was her fight and yet she would leave all the work to her friends? No, they didn't deserve that – it was her fight. She was going to fight it; she'd find some way to do both... somehow.

Foreseeing Rose's protest, Hermione cut her off before she could start, "No, Rose you can't do everything! Why won't you ever just let us help without arguing it?"

"I hadn't said anything..." Rose said moodily, fully aware that Hermione had just predicted what she was going to say to the two of them and fully told her off for it.

"You were thinking it," Hermione accused.

Rose shrugged, "It's the truth – it's my fight-"

"No," Ron said placing an arm on her shoulder. "It's _our _fight, now, we need you alive and with magic – so go and save the bloody old man's life."

Rose gave Ron a deadpan stare, "And do you know how long that could take, Ron? You saw how he could fight! He could take on Dumbledore and I wouldn't be too sure who'd win!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "You're exaggerating, Rose," Hermione informed her briskly. Looking like she was mentality going over some sort of list in her head.

"I am not!"

"Well, look at his hair! He must be old – save him from a heart attack or something," Ron said easily brushing Rose off. Rose felt the brief feeling of indignation.

"He can't be that old and still move-"

"Rose, use that saving people thing you have – you'll be fine. Oh, and by the way... He woke up about ten minutes ago – so if you want..." Hermione trailed off. Rose's eyes widened, she needed to go and calmly explain to him that she was stalking him until she saved his life. Yea that was basically it. She wondered how he'd take it...

Rose looked at Hermione at the last bit, "Me? Wait your not coming with me?"

Hermione and Ron shook their heads, what? "No, we'll start on out investigation – we'll stop by later. Have fun explaining... Oh, and be careful. Appreate out of there if anything happens, and... the meeting point will be where we came out in the forest okay? Send a Protonus to tell us okay?"

Rose scratched the back of her neck and nodded. It was nice to have a backup plan – for just in case after all. Things didn't always go famously...

(:~THC~:)

About ten minutes later, a nervous Rose knocked on the door of the bridge-builders house. She just hoped that everything would go well... hopefully.

The door opened to reveal a pretty black-haired women – Rose envied her easy straight locks of hair. Rose had always cut hers short because her hair was just too unruly to manage with it any longer – although it fell into her face allot. Maybe she should get that headband?

"Oh, it's you... How did you know he woke up?"

Rose figured it best to play it cool, "Oh? He's awake? Cool! I just came to check but, cool!"

She didn't sound like a complete idiot at all.

The black-haired woman, who was the bridge-builders daughter – and for the life of her, Rose couldn't remember her name. Smiled and said, "He woke up about half an hour ago, and his in the kitchen – having lunch. You're welcome in if you like?"

Rose smiled up at the taller woman – another reason to dislike her – and nodded her head in a polite manner, following the older woman into her house and to the kitchen area. There she found the white-haired male sitting down what looked like slosh – really, Hagrid's cooking was better than that. And considering Hagrid's rock cakes – that was saying something.

"Would you like something to eat, dear?"

Rose flicked her eyes to the bowl in front of the bodyguard, no, she didn't need to be _poisoned. _

"No thank you," Rose said politely, with a fake smile. The woman smiled at her again and said, "Well, here he is, sorry but I need to go to the laundry." With that she left the room. It was slightly awkward to say the least.

Rose tried to smile again, politeness never killed anyone. "Hello, I feel like we need to be formally introduced... I'm Potter Rose," She said only remembering at last minute to change around her name. She walked over to where the white haired man was and stuck out her hand to shake.

He smiled – while Rose thought he smiled. She couldn't tell – it was that mask, but his one eye curved into an upside down U. He grabbed her hand and shook it as he said, "I'm Hatake Kakashi – Jonin of Konohagure. It's a pleasure to meet you Potter-san."

Rose mentally filled away the terms _'Jonin' _and_ 'Konohagure' _so she could figure out what the hell he was talking about.

He let go of her hand and Rose almost instantly took the seat opposite him, across the table that he sat at. Rose took in a deep breath – she'd been rehearsing what she was going to say on the way there.

"Well, now that we're introduced Hatake-san," she stumbled over the sub-fix slightly. "I would like to thank you for saving my life."

"It was nothing." The man smiled and waved her off. Rose felt her eye twitch, he wasn't letting her finish! Damn she had a speech planned here! Smothering her slight annoyance into a strained polite smile, Rose went to continue. She hated it when people didn't let her finish.

"Yes, well, you see that was kind of a big thing. In my family we are very big on the honour thing, and what you did called in a blood debt and... well... I'm not leaving until I have that settled."

He raised an eyebrow, but Rose didn't let her fake confidence and fake politeness falter for even a second. "Ah... Okay then."

"Now I'm willing to stalk you so – wait! What?"

Rose couldn't help but let her bewilderment show on her face. What was that? He'd not argued with her? Not told her to get lost or threatened to kill her? Well, she had a like ten minute speech all planed out and everything! Rose couldn't help but feel slightly cheated out of something.

"Hm? I said okay – do what you must."

Rose looked at him like he was some strange being that she had never encountered before. He was an odd one, a very interesting odd one – but an odd one never the less.

"You are very strange," Rose said not even bothering to hide her slightly confused feelings.

He smiled again, she was glad that she amused someone. He smiled a lot to... "Thank you!"

Rose blinked; silence reigned over them for a few moments until Rose broke it. "I had a speech planned out and everything you know? Informing you how important this was and everything! It took me ages to come up with..."

He gave a short laugh in amusement. "So Potter-san, how old _are_ you?"

Rose tilted her head to the side, what the hell? That would have had to be the most random things anyone had ever said to her. Why would he want to know her age?

After a measured look at Kakashi she responded. "Seventeen..."

He gave off a surprised look, "You look younger..."

Rose felt her eyebrow twitch. How young had he thought she was? She had always looked a few years younger than she should have. It was the Dursley's fault really. She was short and skinny, but her years of Hogwarts and having a motherly Mrs Weasley force feed her, she'd gained some weight.

Sad part was that she had never actually gained much weight. It was like it wasn't possible – it didn't matter how much she ate. She just couldn't gain anything – something irritating.

"_Bloody Dursleys,"_ Rose muttered under her breath before returning to a normal voice level, completely missing the Hatake's narrowed eye. "How about you Hatake-san?"

"Twenty-six."

What!? There was no way that that was possible. Wasn't Ron just joking about saving an 'old' man from a heart attack? This wasn't going to end well. He was only nine years older than she was – he wasn't going to have a heart attack any time soon... Damn...

Resisting the urge to yell and call the man a liar, Rose very painfully smiled. She couldn't stop the annoying twitch of her eye. "Oh? You look older..."

He raised an eyebrow at her. Rose figured that he was wondering what he had said to get such a reaction out of her. In all honesty Rose was a little let down that he wasn't going to have a heart-attack or something any time soon. It wasn't like she wanted him to die, but it seemed an easy way to get out of her debt. Why did everything have to just go and get confusing?

"So," Kakashi said as he played with his spoon. He'd actually eat that garbage? Rose would have preferred to go hungry... "Those two you were with... friends of yours?"

Rose wondered why he wanted to know all of this. Was he simply curious? Or was he hiding something more sinister? Or was it just him simply making sure she didn't want to ruin his... mission? That would probably be it. Rose wasn't an idiot, she'd never tell him anything too incriminating. Could this possibly be why he had accepted her blood dept stalking so easily – did he have a plan in mind? Was this going to kill her?

With a genuine smile this time Rose answered, "Oh yes, Ron and Hermione. We've been best friend's since we were... eleven, I think..."

His eye narrowed and this time Rose caught it. What was so bad about being friends with two people since they were eleven? That didn't seem so bad... Maybe she offended some sort of rule they had here... But didn't he have three eleven year old students?

"Did you meet at the academy?"

Rose had never known Hogwarts to be called an academy, but it was a school. Academys and schools were almost the same right?

"Yea, we met at school..."

He seemed a little put on edge with the information, and Rose felt the need to change the subject. "Um, those kids your students?"

She was referring to the kids that were his apprentices from the previous days. The blond haired kid, the pink haired girl and the emo looking boy, it was an odd bunch if you asked her.

"Ah... My cute little students... yes."

Right as he said that one of his 'cute little students' walked into the kitchen and she looked like she had just been dragged through hell and back.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked as an imminent reaction to seeing her so dishevelled.

The pink-haired girl smiled at her, "Oh! Yes I'm fine, just tired."

What the hell had the girl been doing? She looked like Rose after a particularly difficult Quititch training session.

"Where are Sasuke and Naruto?" Kakashi asked the pink-haired girl. Rose figured that was the names of the blonde and black-haired children. Now she only had to match the names... She sucked at doing that...

The girl scowled at her teacher, "Sasuke-kun and Naruto are still trying to do the tree-climbing exercise."

Tree-climbing exercise? Kakashi was teaching the kids how to climb a tree? She had known how to do that since she was like five!

He eye-smiled, "Ah and you're done... Sakura?"

So that's the pink-haired girls name was, Sakura? It was a nice name, and it for some odd reason seemed to fit the girl.

The girl nodded her head with a forlorn look. Kakashi smiled again, "Care to let your dear old Sensei see?"

Rose couldn't help it, he wanted to see? Wanted to see his student climb a tree? Was that really how these people learnt to fight like that... by climbing trees? Of all things... Trees?

"You want to see her... climb a tree!?" Rose asked the man incredulously.

He just smiled, and motioned for her to follow. Rose did, things had been going well so far after all – she could always magically 'disappear'. But still... A tree?

They walked out of the house and went past the first line of tree's. Sakura looked a little annoyed about having to climb another tree. Rose wouldn't blame her.

Rose watched as the girl walked up to the tree and placed her foot on the bark, she then pulled herself up and _walked _up the tree. She actually _walked_ up the tree! With two feet and no hands! Rose knew magic could do some amazing things but that couldn't be possible.

For one, she didn't have a wand. Two, Hermione had said that it wasn't possible for the people here to even _have_ magic. So the girl did not have magic, no one here could have magic. They must have something else, but what else could they possibly have? Their own source of mystic energy? Would it be odd for her to ask?

"What... How, what was that?" Eventually Rose decided to ask. She wouldn't ask about much, she didn't want to give the two distinct opinions of her being an obvious foreigner.

They seemed surprised, but the pink-haired girl answered her. "It's a form of Chakra control, you just have to channel Chakra to your feet and use it to stick onto the tree... I take it you're not a ninja?"

Chakra control? Ninja? So Chakra was the thing that people used here? It was obviously very different from magic. This might be a problem, Rose mused thoughtfully. Rose not wanting to give off that this was all completely new information to her decided to speak. And what was this shit about ninja? Didn't they wear black masks and have swords? Well, Kakashi _did_ have a mask...

"Ninja? No... Maybe I wanted to be one when I was like five..."

This effectively stopped them as they turned to stare at her completely shocked. Had they thought she was a ninja? Really? Her? She did want to be a magical police officer, but that was not a ninja... Maybe she should mention that? Or would that be bad.

It was around times like these that Rose missed her endless fame. Being famous meant that she could say stupid things and mostly get away with it... But then again, when anything went wrong, she'd also get blamed for it.

"You're not?" Sakura asked her incredulously. When had she given them that opinion? Rose never remembered telling anyone that she was a ninja.

"Did I ever say I was a ninja?" Rose asked with genuine confusion on her face. "I'm not... I'm just a... well, a dropout really..."

Sakura looked like someone kicked her dog. Kakashi looked thoughtful, and was watching her like she was a rabid dog. What in Merlin's name had she gotten herself into?

The white haired man suddenly smiled, and ushered the two girls inside. Confusing Rose slightly – what on earth was she getting into?

While Kakashi was simply just curious about the odd power that she and her friends had shown. He would let her do what she needed to in hopes to see how they managed to pull of techniques without any chakra. He was an elite ninja – he could sense that they didn't have any – they had something but not chakra.

_A/N – Thanks for reading my new version. There will be more regular updates. I'm going to try updating this story every week – at least once. Tell me what you think about the changes – no uncle Orochimaru in this one..._


	3. Chapter 3

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Three**_

_**Odd ninja and a worthy tale**_

Rose wanted to throw a brick – a very heavy brick. She didn't know who the intended target would be. Maybe every single person around her, would they all deserve her wrath just for existing? She was just bored really, and a bored Rose was _not_ a good Rose.

It had been a week since she had started her full on stalking on the white haired ninja. In that week, she'd learnt many things about this universe and she was sure that the other ninja just thought she was an idiot. Even Naruto thought she was stupid – and considering how stupid she'd learnt that boy could be this was saying something.

The small ninja, had been training for the entire week. Rose, Kakashi and Sakura spent the entire time guarding the bridge builder. Well, Kakashi and Sakura did – Rose for most part just sat there sleeping. It wasn't her fault that there was nothing to do. Although she had been learning about the Ninja's Chakra usage, Rose still wasn't sure if she should use her magic in any situations that she might find herself in or not, should she let them know she didn't in fact have chakra? It was confusing.

Rose was also still confused about everything that was happening. It was slightly overwhelming really. The world was so much different than her own one had been, with these ninja, their chakra and odd customs... Not to mention that Rose was still slightly confused with how they spoke _Japanese_ of all languages... maybe there as a form of connection there? When everything was over should she check into Japan, or was this all an odd sort of coincidence?

None of this mattered in the long run, not to Rose. She was just waiting out for when the white-haired male would put his life at risk and she could save it. This turned out to be harder than it first looked to be – the reason? The ninja was in no danger _what-so-ever_.

If things kept going on as it had been than Rose would simply have to abandon trying to repay him. Rose knew if she did this than it would come back and bite her in the arse but Rose was beginning to think that she had no choice in the matter.

She had been talking to Ron and Hermione and the two were apparently very close to locating the destination of the snake summoning scroll.

When they found it, the plan was for the three to go a acquire it, the only thing that was slowing them down was Rose's need to settle the debt first. Although with the rate things were going she'd just abandon ship – and hope to never see him again. Go back to England and hope that she can't be followed... Not the smartest thing she would have done but... It would be more productive then where she was now.

She was sitting on the white haired ninja's back with his pink haired student Sakura. He was doing push-ups, with one finger. Rose didn't mind helping him – she lived to help people out but...

"196... 197... 198..."

It was getting slightly ridiculous... How in the name of Merlin was he managing to do so many push-ups with herself and Sakura on his back with one finger? She knew she was light but really...

The bridge builder was watching on with mild fascination, Rose guessed that the push-up thing was _not_ normal. Even here.

"I've been meaning to ask you," The bridge builder said his eyes not leaving the white-haired ninja's form. "You know I duped you, but... why did you stay?"

Rose's eyes drew together in confusion what was the old man talking about? Why did he stay? wasn't that his ninja mission? Then again Rose did have no idea how anything worked here – as a result everyone in the house thought she was an idiot. Even Naruto – who was more idiotic than Goyle was at times but he was as brave as she could get which made her like the blonde.

"To know what is right and choose to ignore it is the act of a coward," He began still doing his push-ups. "Those are teachings of some of our previous Lord Hokage. True Shinobi do not merely dance to a tune of whoever pays the piper."

It was kind of wise, the words but Rose was still questioning... What was this mission the ninja were on? She had thought that they were just protecting the old man but they had made it sound like the ninja weren't _meant_ to be doing it.

Rose was not stupid. A bit ignorant of how things worked here, but she was far from stupid. She needed to figure out how this place worked completely in like the two more days that Ron and Hermione had given her before they said they would have found the scroll. She had two days and her odds _were not_ looking the best.

_**(:~THC~:)**_

Late on that night, Naruto and Sasuke stumbled in looking like they had just done a triathlon fifteen times over. They were both leaning on each other for support like they could berley stand upright. Rose knew now that they had been walking up trees with chakra – something that Rose was certain that she and her friends did not have.

"Well... look whose back, looking like something that cat has dragged in," Tazuna said good-naturedly, with a smile.

Sasuke scowled at the bridge builder as he and Naruto sat down and had food placed in front of them, which Naruto almost instantly began to inhale. Sasuke on the other hand seemed to want to converse with his teacher.

"We both have made it to the top of our tree."

"Good work you two," Kakashi responded with an eye-smile. Rose really wondered how he did that – could she get him to teach her before her next two days were up. "Starting tomorrow, you two can help Sakura protect Tazuna-San."

"So..." a giggly Sakura began, "my advice helped?"

Sakura reminded her of a mix between Hermione and Lavender. Not that Sakura wasn't her own person or anything, but the girl was highly intelligent and had potential just like Hermione. But the girl had high stalker/fangirl tendances that dragged down what she could be like Lavender had been – more interested in boys and makeup than the falling apart of the entire world. Not those things were that bad – she exaggerated of course. She did that a lot.

"...Yes," Sasuke said his voice icily. "Err... Thanks," he practically mumbled but everyone in the room still heard him anyway.

Sakura full on beamed at the boy. Yes, she was a fan-girl though and though. She was most likely just ecstatic that Sasuke had even talked to her than what she should be worried about. This girl was a ninja? "You're welcome!"

"You know, I know how you two feel," Tazuna began with a chuckled and a hearty smile at the two boys – who were both now eating like Ron when he'd gone and missed a meal – like a savage basically. "I'm completely worn out from my days work too... But construction is almost complete."

Rose too knew how to feel completely worn out – not that she would say anything. She still didn't trust these people; she trusted them enough to be around but their profession kept her on her toes. Plus it didn't need to be mentioned.

"But please... don't work yourselves to death," the bridge builders daughter said kindly.

That was when Rose noticed that the bridge builders grandson – Inari – was crying. Why? She had no idea. But apparently Sakura had noticed the crying boy as well. "Hey, what's wrong?"

It was then that everyone else noticed that the young boy was crying, and then he started to yell. Joys.

"Why..." Inari started off muttering before he was full on yelling at his grandfather's guests. "Why must you wear yourself out trying? No matter how hard you train you'll never be able to match Gato's thugs! You all act so cool, and talk all tough, but big strong guys like that are always too much for people weaker than they are, they'll destroy you!"

Rose was mildly worried for the young boy but she was mostly offended. He hadn't been talking to her she knew this; he'd been talking with the ninja, but never the less... She for most of their fights had been weaker than Voldemort but she had always won somewhat... By some what she meant that she never died. She felt that when you had something you could work for, than you could do anything.

It was a lesson she felt that the boy needed to learn, and with great difficulty she kept her mouth shut. Letting Naruto yell at the young boy in his own anger.

"Shut up! I'm not you! I'm not going to lose!" Naruto growled at the much younger boy in irritation. He didn't like to lose – Rose could respect that even in a child that young. After all she shouldn't discount what he could do – at his age she'd defeated the darkest wizard of their age twice hadn't she?

"Just watching you ticks me off; you go running your mouth when you don't know a thing! This isn't your town!" Inari yelled back at the blond despite the tears on his face.

Naruto glared at Inari, a cold, hard stare of a child that had most likely seen too much. "So... you figure it's noble to star in a melodrama and treat everyone around you like guests at a big pity party? Man up! You're not in any place to judge! You're just a cry-baby!"

"Naruto!" Sakura cried out as Inari stormed out of the room. "That was way too harsh! He's just a kid!"

Naruto in a rare moment of not caring what Sakura thought of him, ignored Sakura and stormed out of the room. Leaving it in dead silence, prompting Kakashi to get the tragic story of Inari's father out of Tazuna.

_**(:~THC~:)**_

Rose climbed on the roof of the house – an easy feat when you added magic into the mix. She couldn't just walk up the wall like a ninja could – but she had her ways. She found Inari sitting on the roof and staring at the sky. She didn't know why she was doing this – but in her mind he was just a kid and she helped kids out. She helped everyone out – that was just who she was, a helper.

"Hey kid, can I sit here?" She asked Inari as softly as she could.

Inari looked at her with his eyes red-rimmed from crying but he gave her no reply so she just took a seat next to the younger boy anyway.

"You know that Naruto is a bit of an idiot. But what he said... It was right in a way," Rose began, earning an incredulous look from Inari.

"Listen, when I was one both of my parents got murdered right in front of me. The murder got off free, and when I was eleven and had done one year of schooling I managed to beat him. He was an odd sixty years old and very feared in my... village, but I beat him. Do you know why?"

Inari, who was looking at her wide-eyed, just shook his head. "It's because if you have something to fight for, be it people or just morale – you can win. Even if the person you're fighting is that much stronger than you are."

Inari hesitated, "I think... I need to think about it... Thank you..."

Rose smiled at the confused boy, "You're welcome."

Rose than watched as the young boy climbed off the roof and into his house via the front door, to make his way to what Rose assumed was his bedroom. It didn't matter if he was confused now – that only meant that Rose had managed to get though to him, and that was all that mattered now.

"It seems you bet me to my job."

Rose jumped violently having not noticed anyone behind her; she turned around to see a calm white haired ninja sitting right beside her. How long had he been there?

"How long were you there?"

Kakashi hummed as he leaned back on his arms his one eye focused on Rose. "Long enough. Interesting story there."

Rose crossed her arms over her chest and suddenly felt slightly defensive. "It was the truth – I just like helping people."

She didn't know if she was defending herself, trying to make him believe she was telling the truth or explaining why she had been talking to him in the first place. Something about this ninja had her off guard – every time in the last week or so that she had been there, as soon as she thought she had figured him out – he said or did something completely unexpected.

He was an odd one; she was usually a pretty good judge of character and could figure a person out. But this ninja was so different to anyone else she'd met, he was a complex person and everyone else that she'd met hadn't been very complex. They'd been rather... shallow? As a result she was never sure what to say – or how he'd react to something that she would say. For some reason Rose found this slight refreshing.

Kakashi put his hand up like he was asking her to calm down or something. "I wasn't accusing you of anything... Merely stating the fact – an interesting tale."

Rose relaxed slightly, but she was still slightly on edge, "Not really, other than the fact that a madman killed my entire family but somehow can't figure out a way to kill me..."

Kakashi smiled – what an odd thing to smile at! "Other than madmen, of course... I thank you for talking to Inari for me..."

Rose looked up at the starry night forming above her, she liked the stars. "I like helping people – it's what I do."

Kakashi smiled again even though Rose couldn't see it because she wasn't looking at him, "Is that why you dropped out?"

"Hm?"

Kakashi looked up at the stars with Rose, "Why you dropped out of school?" Kakashi prodded.

Rose sighed, "Slightly, I guess. I had heaps of reasons... I had things to do – _it's a long story_."

"Well, I am told that I'm a good listener," Kakashi responded as he eyed a bright star.

"It isn't particularly interesting... Let's leave it at a young child wanting to help out everyone."

Kakashi just sighed and dropped the idea. Most likely realising that Rose wasn't going to tell him anything. He wasn't an idiot after all.

Rose looked at the stars again, they seemed much brighter here than in England.

_**:)~THC~(:**_

The next morning Rose, along with Tazuna, Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura made their way to the bridge. Rose was running out of ideas to save the man – maybe she could just get Ron to put him in peril and then save him from it? Would that even work, considering he wouldn't be in any real trouble?

Rose sighed as the bridge came into view, another day full of sleeping and wondering how to save a life... That was until she saw what looked like at least half of the construction crew lying practically dead on the bridge. It was horrifying.

"Oh sweet Merlin..." Rose whispered in English, earning her an odd look from the only two ninja who heard her – Kakashi and Sasuke. She had forgotten about their hearing... damn.

"What happened? Who did this? Gato?" Tazuna asked one of the men on the floor that was covered in blood.

"Mon- Monsters..." The man said groaning in his pain, blood dripping from his mouth. Rose was horrified that anyone but Voldemort and his death eaters could be so violent. Maybe it was just the way things happened here – death. It wasn't something Rose would ever condone.

"Everyone get ready... They're coming," Kakashi said as a slow white mist enveloped the bridge.

Rose was aware of Sasuke and Sakura taking defensive positions. She just continued to look on in horror at the dying man, what sort of monster? Rose was on guard – she knew this could be her chance to save Kakashi, and she would even do her best to protect the children, but still...

"Sensei? This... is it that guy from before? This is his mist technique... right?"

Kakashi berley nodded his head before the body of the man that Rose thought was dead appeared with the masked hunter-nin by his side.

"It's been awhile Kakashi," Zubuza said, an eerily creepy smile appeared on his face, creeping Rose right out... Wasn't he meant to be dead? "I see you've brought those brats from last time – even the special one..."

This part had been directed at Rose, Rose just pursed her lips and Kakashi smiled again. Why did he smile in the face of danger? It was just stupid...

"-And the little boy is trembling with fear, _again_." He said while laughing tartly. Rose glanced at Sasuke – he was indeed trembling.

At that moment several more Zubuzas' appeared out of no-where. They were more likely made out of water like they had been the last time but it was still extremely freaky to see doubles of the man.

"I'm not trembling in fear! I tremble... for a rematch!" Sasuke declared.

Kakashi just smiled at the young boy. "Go ahead... Sasuke."

Rose watched on in slight fascination as she watched the black-haired boy slice down each of his water-clones. She had been right when she assumed that the children in Kakashi's care could take care of themselves.

"So it looks like my water clones were no match... It seems that these brats have actually turned into worthy rivals... eh, Haku?"

"Indeed." The newly named Haku replied in an emotionless voice. Rose wondered, wasn't he meant to want to kill Zubuza? This was a slight predicament... Maybe she could save Kakashi at some point during this and not have to ditch wasting a week of her time.


	4. Chapter 4

*******__**A/N.*****

**Just regarding where Rose is at. It's pretty similar to where Harry is at; she knows fighting spells – and a lot of them.**

**She knows basics like animals into furniture and all that, but nothing to complicated.**

**She can't heal or do runes or anything like that. But she does have a high aptitude to do wandless magic. When she does her eyes turn a different shade of green – a sickly colour. (This has to do with her Voldemort connection). **

**Okay? Now have fun reading! :)**

_**The Hidden Counties;**_

_**Chapter Four- **_

_**The big fight and ditching the debt**_

It was tense – a massive showdown, one that Rose was glad was finally there. She had waited too long for this fight. All she needed now was for Kakashi to get placed in danger for her to somehow save him and then; she could get the scroll, kill the snake, go to England, kill Voldemort and live happily ever after. Was this too much to ask for?

Sadly in most cases the answer would be yes. The only answer to why it would be yes? She was Rose Potter and when she was concerned – nothing goes right with Rose Potter.

"Amazing... Even though your water clones were only a tenth of your strength, it was amazing that he did so well," Haku the hunter-nin said like he was telling them all the weather.

"Just remember... We're still on the offensive..." Zabuza told his dryly, like he actually needed to remind the child of this fact.

"Yes Sir," The younger boy – because he did sound like a boy – said obediently.

Haku then disappeared from Rose's sight – the speed he used was unbelievable. He attacked Sasuke but there was no hesitation on Sasuke's part. He just defended himself with a Kunai (Those knives from before), easily keeping up with the speed the slightly taller boy set.

It was something that she knew she could never achieve – to fight like they could, would probably be more of a curse than anything. Sure, it would make things easier but what about the knowledge that you could destroy lives and actually do it?

She would rather go up to Voldemort and tell him that he wins and she was going to quit and let him kill her. That would never happen.

"Sakura cover Tazuna-San, let Sasuke take his opponent." Rose heard Kakashi tell his young student. Rose wasn't sure what she should actually do – should she stop this like she knew she might be able too, or should she just let it to develop? Rose did not usually hesitate like this – but seeing how they fraught... She did have a shred of self-preservation after all.

Rose ignored most of the conversation going on between the ninja, only standing back an observing the fight. She wouldn't get involved until it was needed – knowing her she would get distracted by the fight and completely miss being able to save Kakashi's life. Yes, that sounded like her alright. She'd just jump in when it was needed... Yes.

Rose tried to watch the high speed match – she saw knives and a hell of a lot of ice, the boy – she assumed used ice as a weapon... odd choice if you asked her.

Then came the dome of ice – that was pretty wicked in a terrible way. Sasuke got trapped in the dome; Rose would have helped except everyone seemed sure that Sasuke could win... She promised herself that she wouldn't interrupt... Not unless Kakahsi was in danger or it was absolutely necessary...

Then Naruto turned up and ran into the dome... Rose had to remind herself that she was not meant to interrupt... Not until the right minute, not until – it was needed for her...

Rose continued to watch on in slight horror, as she found out how hopeless the situation would get. How utterly powerless the ninja were against them. The other two were very powerful but two against one... Kakashi was right about his students... They weren't ready to take a life... not yet...

Rose closed her eyes briefly; Kakashi could take Zubzua easily and win. Sasuke and Naruto – she wasn't sure could win and come out alive. It was then that Rose made a choice that would most likely not help her debt, but would help ease her mind... She was going to help Naruto and Sasuke.

Rose turned to the ice dome – could she melt it? Should she try cutting it down? Or explosions... She didn't know what would work and not hurt the two young boys... She would simply have to try everything. Screw not using magic in front of the ninja.

"_Incendio..." _

Fire whipped around Rose before circling the dome of ice – it had no effect. Rose pushed harder, she knew that her eyes were turned a sickly green colour – she'd always hated how that happened...

The fire dispersed – it had done no damage... "_Diffindo..."_

"_Bombarda... Bombarda maxima!"_

Well that got them somewhere. The explosion that was capable of taking out fully built houses did its magic on the dome leaving one of the ice panels into fine dust. At that moment she was glad that the two older ninja were fighting it out not bothering to pay attention to what she was doing.

Than Rose saw something, Sasuke was on the floor of the dome and he looked quite dead. Naruto was hovering over him looking like someone killed one of the most important people in his life. That's when the young blond boy started to glow red and push out a dark aura.

It was completely the opposite of everything she had began to accost with the boy – like rainbows and cute fuzzy things... Rose knew one thing, something _wasn't _right.

She watched on as the boy became more feral, his teeth sharpening, eyes going red. Rose knew something right then – she knew that Naruto wasn't in his right mind.

Rose watched on in growing horror at how savagely the boy attacked Haku. This was not something Naruto would normally do – this was not human... What was he? She needed to stop him – he was getting out of control... This wasn't Naruto.

This all needed to stop... Slipping her wand into her hand Rose as discreetly as she could bound the two children by freezing their bodies...

Both of their eyes moved around with terror, trying to figure out why they couldn't move. Rose looked around to see what was happening. Sakura was out, Sasuke appeared dead and Kakashi?

Well, the white haired ninja was killing Zubuza. His hand was coated in lighting – it looked slightly cool if it wasn't buried in the middle of the other ninja's chest. Blood dripping out of the wound... It was in short – horrifying.

Rose watched as Zubuza fell slowly to the ground his eyes wide, looking shocked the he'd been beaten. Rose quickly put her wand away, her eyes briefly flickering to the two immobile children at her feet. She noticed that Naruto's demonic aura had dimmed away.

Kakashi turned around still covered in blood; Rose found she was surprised that she didn't mind the blood as much as she should... Which was all disturbing in its own right, she should be disgusted.

"Well, he certainly made a mess of things." The sound of male laughter came closer and Kakashi instantly went to face to direction that the sound came from, as did Rose. They were the only two still able to fight... How troublesome. "How troublesome, I guess my boys will take care of you two."

Rose sighed, _shit_. Kakashi went into another defensive stance. But Rose knew what was needed – he looked like he was going to drop into a dead faint in any second now. "Kakashi, get back or I might hurt you - accidently."

The white haired ninja didn't question her, he just almost teleported – it was that fast – behind her, and looked at her questionably. She guessed he'd seen her little display before... They'd either have to explain things later or run... Running sounded cool.

"_Incendio_..."

The fire whipped around Rose's body for a minute before shooting off, along the ground like it was being led by a lot of oil to protect them like a shield. It didn't actually burn the bridge though. Rose knew her eyes were going the same sickly colour it always did when she used wand less magic...

But this way... technically... she'd saved his life...

**(:~THC~:)**

Rose's eye's fluttered open. She had a killer headache, and she had no idea where she was. It was just a bare room, what freaked Rose out the most? The girlish guy that was hovering over her like he was trying to see if she was alright.

"Who in the name of Merlin are you?"

The boy smiled gently as he smoothed his... dress? Rose was sure that he was a boy – he had an Adams apple, only boys had those... Then why in the name of Merlin was he wearing a dress? Was he some sort of cross-dresser? Rose felt close to hysterics – why was she in a cross-dressers room?

"I am Haku; you saved my life some days ago."

Rose blinked as the memories came back to her – oh yes, she remembered now. Hermione was going to kill her. At least she had her bloody debt settled and now she could go on her merry way and go get the scroll.

Rose pushed herself up, "Nice to meet you Haku, names Rose."

Haku's eyes widened at Rose trying to get up and he tried to push Rose back down onto the bed. "Please, Rose-San; you are not fully recovered yet. You must rest!"

Rose snorted; she was never 'fully' recovered. She found that becoming _fully_ recovered before she moved was just something that was not possible for her, at all. It was just how she was, how almost all Gryffindors were. She could rest when she died.

"Meh, I've got places to go and people to see – sorry."

Haku's eyes widened drastically. "But Rose-San, you must recover!"

Rose sighed and looked at the kid, he had a gentle face and long brown hair, and if she didn't see his adems apple then she would be sure that he was a girl. "Listen – Haku, I'm really busy. I need to go and do... whatever it is that I do."

Haku raised his eyebrow at Rose drawing question to what she had said. Rose simply brushed him off, and got up anyway. She didn't need to make sense – she just needed to do stuff. Which in its own right didn't make sense, making sense was for old people anyway.

Rose walked past the girlish boy and opened the door and walked out trying to find where she was – the young boy following her out still pushing out protests. Rose ignored most of these anyway. It pegged the question – why did this kid care so much about her? Not that he was much of a kid, he looked about three years younger and was obviously very powerfull...

Rose walked around for a moment or two before she found the kitchen. This solved her problem of where she was. She was still in the bridge builders house still. How on earth had she gotten back there? And why was the kid with her?

"Ah, Rose-San! Your awake, Kakashi-Sensei and his students will be down in a minute if you want to see them."

Rose just nodded her head at the bridge builders daughter – what was the woman's name again? Rose seated herself down on one of the chairs and Haku – who had been following her seated himself down next to Rose with a huff, clearly irate.

Poor kid.

"Are you two hungry by any chance?"

Rose was hungry but... Rose's eyes widened when she remembered the horrible consistency of the food she had seen here previously. Rose knew she couldn't really complain about terrible food but...

"No thank-"

"Yes, we will both have some." Haku said cutting of Rose half way. Rose looked at the younger boy like he had doomed her to hell, why had he said that?

"Of course!" With that the older women went on her way and prepared them some food.

Rose looked at Haku with narrowed eyes. "Please Rose-San, you need to eat and get your strength back."

Rose wondered very briefly why this kid cared about her so much. Why was he going to force her to endure the hell of this woman's cooking? She'd become spoiled with her food presences...

"Fine," Rose said like she was a spoiled little girl. Which she was to a point – she had been spoiled when it came to food. She had always gotten nice food ever since she had left the Dursleys when she was eleven.

"Here you go."

Rose looked down at the bowl of food in front of her and she forced a smile. "Thank you."

It looked like crap, she shouldn't judge food by its looks she knew this... but still. With a sigh, Rose forced the food into her mouth like Ron would if he missed a meal. It didn't taste _that_ bad.

Rose finished her food quickly and she looked over at Haku and he seemed to be eating his food with dignity. Rose looked at him for a few minutes before she started up a conversation.

"So Haku... Why are you here?"

Haku paused mid bite and put down his chopsticks. He looked at Rose dead in the eye. "I have nowhere else to go. Hatake-San has killed Zabuza-Sama, I have no use any more."

Rose's eyebrow furrowed, what on earth was this boy talking about? He was referring to himself like he was... a tool. "What do you mean Haku? Of course you have a use! Surely you have a place to be?"

Haku shook his head, "I have no spot in this world so far. I am a tool to be used by my master and I have no master."

Rose looked at the boy horrified. "Come on, there has to be somewhere... anywhere?"

Haku shook his head again, "I have no village... No family... I have nothing. I am a tool to be used by my Master, and I have no Master."

It was like he was a slave.

Rose felt a strange pull of sympathy; this boy was like her in a way. When she had been younger she had no-where to go, no real family to take her away from getting hurt, the entire wizarding world believed her to be the only one to save them. She would find a place for this boy, a place where he could be happy.

"Then what are you going to do?"

Haku just looked at Rose dead in the eye and shrugged his shoulders, his face not betraying any emotion. "I do not know, Rose-San."

"You could come with us!" A bright voice yelled from the doorway. Rose looked up to see Naruto bright and chipper and looking like nothing had happened to him at all. Rose was reminded about the bright red aura that Naruto had projected – that wasn't human. She needed to know what that was.

Haku shook his head, "I am sorry Naruto-Kun, but I cannot come with you back to Konoha."

Naruto looked stupefied, he marched into the room until he was opposite to Haku and he slammed his hands on the table in front of Haku. "Why not!?"

Haku sighed at Naruto, and Rose understood slightly. He didn't want to go because Kakashi had killed Zabuza and by extension Konoha had killed Zabuza. Rose could understand that, but that was the only place for him to go. He could be happy there – and not a slave.

"I simply cannot, Naruto-Kun. It would be unwise."

"Then where are you going to go? Naruto's right, you'd be welcomed in Konoha." A timid female voice asked as she entered the room with Sasuke behind her, and... Wait! Hadn't he _died?_

Haku simply shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know."

Sasuke sneered at Haku, looking at Haku with distaste clearly shown on his features. "We're giving you a free ride into Konoha! You could be important! You could live like a normal person. You could have a family, a life and what? You throw it away like its nothing?"

The room became silent and Rose wished that she wasn't the only adult in the room – even though she technically wasn't an adult. It was on her to stop any fighting from going on. And a fight might just happen, Sasuke was glaring at Haku like he had insulted him and Haku looked like he was trying to restrain himself. She had to intervene.

But then she was a bit of a coward as well.

"Now, now, everyone calm down – that's it, where is your teacher, Naruto?"

She had to sort a few things out. Right now Haku was too raw to go with the ninja, she could understand that. She could take him with her but not for too long, what she had to do was simply no place for a young boy. She could take him along... Until he got over Zabuza, or until she had to leave the hidden countries, and then she could take him to Konoha. It was a great idea; she just had to get Kakashi to agree to it somehow. Then Haku...

Naruto blinked like he was surprised that she had asked him, and Sakura intervened.

"In his room, Rose-San," The pink-haired girl answered her green eyes wide. Rose smiled at her as comfortingly as she could – which Rose was sure wasn't all that great. She didn't genially comfort people, or like being comforted.

"Okay, I'll be right back. Don't kill each other – trust me, it won't help at all. It would just stain the carpet and no one wants that. Because if you stain the carpet you clean it, got it?"

After Rose received nods from all of the pre-teens, Rose made her way up the stairs of the house to where she knew was the room that Kakashi slept in. This was going to be fun, not.

Stopping in front of the door, Rose knocked twice and waited for a _come in. _When she had received that she opened the door to see Kakashi sitting on his bead his back against the wall, reading a small green book.

If Rose looked carefully enough she could make out the name of the book being '_come come, paradise'_. With little keep out signs... It was an odd name for a book, but that wasn't the reason that she was here anyway.

"Good morning, Rose-San," He said not bothering to look up from his book. It must be captivating – Rose wondered what was in it. She never liked books that much but Hermione did... Maybe she would be interested in it? Whatever it was...

"Good morning, Kakashi. I was wondering if I could talk to you about Haku and Naruto?" Rose said as she closed the door behind her, not wanting anyone else to hear their conversation.

Kakashi looked up at her as he sighed and closed his book and placed it in his pocket. He sat up straighter. "What is it you need to talk about?"

Rose tilted her head to the side and decided to go with the easier boy first. "Where Haku's going, I – he's said that he has nowhere to go... And he has said that he _doesn't_ want to go to Konoha... I do want to take him with me, but..."

"But?" Kakashi asked, sounding extremely tired – like always. How can he be so sleepy all the time when he does nothing? Well, expect when he's fighting but he's not sleepy when he fights...

"Well, I need to do..._ things_... And having him around for those... mightn't be the_ best_ idea. I was wondering if Haku allows it – he could come with me for a bit but before... I do my _stuff_... He could come to Konoha... When he fells less raw about everything?"

Kakashi nodded his head in contemplation. "It's an idea, but would he want to come considering it's the village that killed Zabuza?"

Rose just shrugged her shoulders. "I could talk him into it?"

Kakashi smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "I will talk to Hokage-Sama about it. Then I can send you his response?"

Rose full on grinned like she had won the house cup again; he was such a nice little ninja wasn't he? "Ah! Thank you, Kakashi!"

There was silence and Kakashi seemingly got more serious with the silence. "What about Naruto?"

Rose looked around for some reason beginning to feel slightly nervous. "Well, Naruto's such a nice kid. He's all rainbows and fully little bunnies and sugary things that make you sick with kindness and..."

Kakashi raised his viable eyebrow, like he was telling her to get to the point and stop delaying. Rose sighed – he was right. "What was that red aura?"

The tension in the room seemed to sky-rocket and Kakashi decided to try and play dumb. Rose knew he knew what it was. "What red aura? Naruto? He doesn't know how to project anything but clones, _so many clones_."

Rose felt like she should leave the topic there and get out of the house but for some reason she felt like she couldn't do that. It was in her name. "I'm not an idiot most of the time. It was... demonic, like Satan."

Kakashi raised another eyebrow. "Satan?"

Rose narrowed her eyes; she knew he was trying to change the subject. "You know Lucifer? The anti-Christ? The devil? God's bad son?"

"God? Which god?"

Rose resisted the urge to hit the man. He did look completely confused, and he might not know what she was talking about. But that didn't change the matter that he was changing the subject.

"There's only one!" Rose said with her eyebrow raised. There were more God's she was sure but they all had their names and God well – he didn't. Rose wasn't overly full of religion. She celebrated Easter and Christmas and that was about it.

Kakashi re-raised his eyebrow at her like he was questioning her intelligence again. "Don't change the subject! What is wrong with him?"

Kakashi shook his head with a sigh. "I cannot tell you. I do not have the authorization."

This time Rose was the one to raise her eyebrow. "Authorization? You mean... It's..." Rose changed what she was going to say, if it was under lock and key then she didn't want to get hunted down for knowing too much. "Never mind. I just hope he's okay – it looked like it was ripping his skin off by just using it."

Kakashi sat up even straighter. "What?"

Rose looked at him funnily. "When he was fighting. The red aura, it tore off his skin. But never mind – we shouldn't talk of it... Whatever_ it_ is."

Kakashi looked serious, like he hadn't already known that. Kakashi scratched the back of his head nervously and completely changed the subject. "When are you going to leave?"

Rose grinned, glad for the change of subject – she didn't fancy being hunted down for knowing. Rose would just have to figure it out on her own; she knew that she had pieces of the puzzle she just had to piece them together. "As soon as he finishes eating – I have a busy life you know!"

He smiled – he did that too often in Rose's mind. Stood up and walked over to the door and opened it. "Well I think they're done. We should go stop them from killing each other, possibly."

Rose's lips twitched into another smile. He was so blunt – Rose loved it.

Rose followed Kakashi out of the door and back to the kitchen, to see that Naruto was restrained an irate Sasuke and Haku had a calm face in place but looked like he was ten seconds away from killing someone.

Rose sighed. "Didn't I say to _not_ kill each other?"

Four heads snapped to Rose and Kakashi's direction.

"I apologise, Rose-San." Haku intoned calmly as he glared daggers in Sasuke's direction. It was safe to say that the two boys were not going to be the best of friends.

Rose really thought that Haku needed some lessons in cutting lose a bit. Ron would help him with that – he'd have him yelling about spiders in no time at all.

"It's alright Haku – you coming with me?" She asked, not even bothering to sugar coat it. Bluntness was a good thing, beating around the bush annoyed Rose. Even if she did it when she was nervous – she blabbered on as well...

Haku's eyes widened drastically. "I can...?"

Rose grinned, "Say your goodbyes, cause' I have things to do! People to see!" _Scrolls to find, Snakes to kill, dark lords to slay,_ Rose added in her head.

Haku nodded his head quickly and hurriedly said goodbye to Naruto and Sakura, completely ignoring Sasuke. Rose's lip twitched upwards.

"I'm ready Rose-San."

Rose grinned down at the shorter boy. "Let's go then Haku."

Rose walked to the door and turned around the face the room before she left. "Goodbye guys! It's been a fun week, I hope to see you all soon!"

_**~(:~THC~:)~**_

Rose and Haku sat on a rock in the middle of the forest.

"Um, Rose-San? What are we waiting for?" Haku asked Rose calmly. They had been sitting there for a good twenty minutes. Rose wasn't surprised that he was bored of waiting.

"We are waiting for my friends."

Haku's eyebrow rose. Rose sighed, "They'll be here soon, they just need to-"

"SPIDER! OH MERLIN, WHY ARE THERE SO MANY BLOODY SPIDERS! HERMIONE GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!"

Rose sighed again; she hadn't wanted Haku to meet them this way... Damn Ron and his spider phobia...

"SHIT! NO HERMIONE DON'T BRING IT CLOSER! AHHH! HERMIONE, DON'T!"

Rose sighed at Haku's incredulous look.

"They're actually very normal people... Very strong too..."

"HERMIONE! KEEP THAT THING- ARGHAAAA! NO!" Ron screamed like a little girl. Oh why?

Rose hit her head with the palm of her hand... What had she done to deserve this? Rose heard Hermione's trill of laughter, well. At least they were having fun...

Rose glanced at Haku's incredulous face and sighed. "They're normal most of the time. Ron just happens to be scared of spiders... And he's... a good fighter?"


	5. Chapter 5

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Five **_

_**If you don't succeed at first – try and try again!**_

"Really man, spiders are the oddest, most revolting creatures known to mankind!"

The answer to that statement was two sighs and a curious look from the youngest male in their company. Haku's eyes just furrowed in confusion instead, as he looked at the red head boy with what Rose deemed morbid curiosity. "But, Ron-San, spiders are so small. They couldn't possibly hurt you more than you could it."

Ron groaned at the younger boy, like he didn't know anything. Really, out of all the things Ron could talk about, he chose spiders? The things that he was desperately afraid of – the boy was mental case closed. Rose sighed and shook her head, sometimes that boy made no sense to her.

"Ron spiders couldn't hurt a fly. You're just bloody crazy." Rose informed him, keeping up the pace that she had set to wherever it was that this 'Orochimaru' person lived. Really, what an odd name...

Hermione hit her head with her hand. "Rose," Hermione said dryly. "Spiders eat flies."

Rose paused mid-step before she kept on walking, mentally hitting herself over the head. "I guess they do, don't they?"

The four stopped talking after that. Rose because she had a blonde moment and decided that she couldn't talk anymore and the other three were most likely stunned quiet by her awesomeness – that had to be it. Dear Merlin, she had been spending too much time with Fred and George hadn't she?

This was until Haku broke the silence. "Rose-Sama, where are we going? ...And what will we be doing?"

Rose paused, and let the questions sink in. But all she got out of that was that he was still calling her 'Sama'. She was sure she had told the boy not half an hour ago not to call her that. Rose wasn't sure why the boy now insisted on giving her that. Rose wasn't great at Japanese but she knew that was a title given to important people. She wasn't all that important.

"Haven't I said to drop the Sama?" Rose asked Haku in a blunt voice and with an amused smile, forgetting momentarily the rest of his questions.

"I apologise, Rose-Sama- _Rose-San_." He amended when he saw Rose's slight glare towards his person.

Rose smiled at the younger boy. "I haven't the foggiest! But, Hermione where did you say we're going?"

Hermione sighed and took it upon herself to answer Haku's questions. "We are going to Otokare, and we are going to steal something from the Otokage."

Haku's eyes widened at the other brunette in the group. "We ..._are_?"

"That's it, kid." Ron said with a weary glance at Haku then another glance at Rose. Rose knew what this meant. He was asking her if they could really trust Haku. It was obvious that Ron did not trust Haku yet. Rose didn't blame him; trust was a hard thing to come by with them. Who knew who secretly wanted to kill them all because of their blood?

Rose nodded her head and gestured to Haku with a smile. She had said _we can trust the kid. _Rose wasn't sure why she trusted Haku so much in such a small space of time; it wasn't something that she usually did but something about this kid... Something just screamed to her that he could be trust worthy; after all, where else did he have to go?

Ron frowned and nodded his head again. The four continued on to their destination with small mindless chatter forming between the group of four. Or at least, between Rose and Ron while Hermione chimed in with factual information when the other two got too carried away or Haku when he didn't understand something, which was surprisingly often.

_~5~_

"Okay," Rose whispered to the other three people on her _team_. "We're here. Now what's the plan of attack, Ron?"

It had taken them two and a half days to get to Otokure. Rose had given Ron free reign over what the plan was when they got there. Now, it was time to put said plan into action. It couldn't be too hard... right?

Rose snorted in her head. Nothing ever went right where she was concerned, Rose was simply sure it was because she had terrible luck. Or she had very good luck that put her in horrible situations so she could get out of them. But that theory didn't make much sense to her so she stuck with the first one; Rose Potter had terrible luck.

"We all go in – _unseen_ – we figure out where it is kept and then we take it."

Rose looked at Ron like he was the biggest idiot in the world. Considering she knew Crabbe and Goyle, this was saying something. Did Ron honestly think something that simple would work? She didn't know much of the intelligence level of her 'opponent' but she was sure that simply going in invisible and searching for what they needed would work all too well.

Rose opened her mouth to object but Hermione actually bet her too it. "Ronald... Don't you think that it's too... _simplistic_?"

Ron shook his head with a small grin on his face, like he was sure that he was going to convince them of his view point. "That's the beauty of it Hermione. It's so basic that no one would ever think of doing it."

"Are they expecting you?" Haku interrupted, gaining a surprised look from Ron.

"What do you mean, Haku?" Rose asked the young boy with interest. She hadn't expected him to give much input but this was welcome. Surprising yes, but welcome. Rose was sure that Haku would knew a bit more about breaking and entering in this world than Ron – they weren't after all muggles.

"Rose-Sama, this is a good idea but it is simply unwise to send in four people to obtain the object when you are unaware of its location – you may be compromised."

"Don't call me that," Rose muttered whilst thing about what he said.

Rose inclined her head; the boy did have a point. But Ron who still looked surprised was not fully over his idea. "Yes, but, how else do you suggest stealing from that place then?"

Haku looked thoughtful and Rose and Hermione shared a meaningful glance. Maybe, Rose should have made the two talk about this earlier on but she hadn't expected Haku to pick apart Ron's plan... No matter how... different that plan would be. Rose could actually see where Ron was coming from though. There wasn't much of another way to steal the scroll was there?

"Send in a scout to see where the object is hidden, only one person because multiple people would get spotted. Then the scout withdraws if getting the object is unrealistic and brings in backup after a plan is formed."

Rose had to hand it to the kid. He was sharp, smart – just like Hermione. Haku also seemed to have thought this though a little bit more than she had as well. But there was a reason that none of them never went in alone. Unless it was her – she always went in alone but, when she wasn't forced to go in alone she didn't. It was safer that way, for everyone.

"Haku," Rose began cutting off whatever Ron was going to reply with. "We don't let each other go in alone. Even if it's best for the mission or whatever, we just don't do it."

He looked confused before he masked it was a cool mask. "I see... May I ask why?"

The three ex-students of Hogwarts looked astounded. "Well, because it's not safe for them to go in alone. We have each other's backs. We look after each other – like family does."

Haku's cool mask slipped for a minute and his furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I see... You are all related?"

Rose rubbed the back of her head and Hermione smiled gently at the young boy. "No, but we are all like family here. We care about each other. Let's compromise ne? How about we pair up instead?"

Rose nodded at Hermione, but it was Ron who responded. "Alright, Rose and Haku and me and Hermione, alright guys?"

Hermione looked confused for a second before understanding swept though her eyes, she then hide the emotion. Rose was confused for a second as well before she caught Hermione's understanding and her brief look at Haku.

Rose understood then. Ron and Hermione didn't trust Haku yet. Rose was the strongest – they all knew it. She would be the one most likely to be able to survive with him – although Rose didn't like their take on that. Haku was a sweet – misguided – but kind and sweet boy.

Rose was sure that eventually the other two would see it. They'd just have to wait for Haku to prove it. Rose wouldn't be able to change their opinion of him – that would all be on him. She wasn't _Merlin_.

Rose bit her lip. "We'll send one group in to scout and the other can be connected by... uh..."

"Ear pieces!" Hermione said as she grabbed her bottomless bag. She went though it for several moments before she pulled out four muggle looking ear pieces – she knew how they worked. She was surprised that Ron wasn't looking confused though. Maybe Hermione had explained it to him at some point?

"Do we all know how to use these?" Hermione asked eagerly as she handed them to the other three people. Rose instantly put hers in and nodded her head much like Haku. Ron nodded nervously and did the same thing.

Hermione beamed. "I think Ron and I should go in."

Rose wanted to hit something, but she understood. Mostly, but that did change the fact that it should be her to go in; it was her task after all. Rose opened her mouth to argue.

"I agree," Ron said quickly before Rose could begin to argue.

Rose glared at the ginger haired boy. "This isn't-"

"Nope!" Ron said with a grin, "You've been outvoted."

Rose narrowed her eyes at Ron, she hadn't been aware that this was drawing down to a vote. Well, if that was the case then... "What's Haku's vote then?"

Rose turned to Haku and he blankly nodded at Ron. He'd been corrupted – Merlin damn it.

"_Fine_."

~5~

Rose and Haku sat in the middle of a forest, waiting for anything on what Ron and Hermione were doing. But the other two had remained mostly silent for the entire time being. Which was generally a smart thing for them to do – they didn't want to get caught after all.

The silence though, was killing her. Even if Ron had somehow managed to get Haku to agree to him going in. Damn it.

"So Haku," Rose began trying to think of anything that she could say. "What's your favourite colour?"

Haku blinked up at Rose with surprise, before the emotion was covered by his cool mask. "I do not have one."

Rose sighed, the kid was kind and gentle but he was as emotionless as Voldemort was... How did that work? "Come on, everyone has a favourite colour! Maybe just a colour that's nicer than others?"

Haku looked at her like he was trying to figure something complicated out. Rose resisted the urge to sigh – it wasn't that hard of a question. "I do not... What of you?"

Rose thought for a second. "Red. I love the colour red. Now come on think about it."

Haku paused for a moment. "I suppose lavender."

Rose was slightly surprised by this, purple huh? Rose was about to ask the brown haired male another question before she got cut off. Not by Haku but by a talking dog. A talking dog? Well, nothing to unusual had happened lately so she should have expected it.

What next? Ron having tact? Hermione swearing off books? Rose didn't actually want to now.

"Hey you – lady!"

Rose jumped and Haku pulled out a senborn – needle thing out of nowhere. Rose looked down at what talked, it was a small pug. But that couldn't be what talked because dogs didn't talk. Rose looked around some more trying to figure out who talked.

"Hey lady, down here!"

Rose looked down at the dog again. Did the thing just talk? It didn't talk because it wasn't possible because Sirius couldn't talk as a dog then neither could this ... dog. But then, Sirius wasn't a real dog was he?

"Did you just talk?" Rose asked the dog hesitantly.

"Of course I did Lady. What never seen a talking dog before?" The dog said.

She was talking to a dog, how novel. "No, dogs do _no_t talk. But – I guess some can then?"

The dog seemed to snort. Wow. "Of course, we have to be taught don't we?"

Rose nodded her head like this was common knowledge, even though the whole dog talking thing was creeping her out. But what could she do?

"Is there something you needed... uh?"

"Pakkun Lady, are you Potter Rose?" the dog asked of her.

Rose bit her lip and looked back at Haku who looked blank. She really needed to get him to work on that whole emotion thing. "Yes I am. Do you... uh, are you looking for me?"

The dog nodded his head and sighed. "I have a message for Potter Rose, from Hatake Kakashi."

Rose blinked; her response had come slightly quicker than she had anticipated. But... from a dog? Kakashi was either really odd or he just liked being different, really who sent a talking dog to send their messages?

"Well, I didn't except a dog... He's an odd one..." Rose muttered under her breath before she started to speak up. "What is the message?"

Pakkun sighed. "The Hokage accepts your terms. When you come to Konoha you will talk to the guards and be accosted to the Hokage."

Rose blinked. "Uh, thank you?"

The dog nodded and disappeared. How... strange.

"Rose-Sama?"

"Don't call me that, but yes?" Rose said turning around to face Haku who actually looked confused and wasn't bothering to hide it.

"What just happened?" He actually looked slightly nervous.

Rose looked at him for a measured amount of time. "Nothing you have to worry about yet, it'll be fine."

Before Haku could respond again there was a buzzing in Rose's ear.

"_Rose? Rose."_ She heard the voice of Hermione come though the ear piece, sounding out of breath.

"_Yes? What is it?"_

"_Our cover has been uh, blown. We are just running for our lives and... We could use some help..."_

Rose didn't even let Hermione finish her sentence before she took off running, Haku not far behind her. Actually, Haku was faster than her but he had been surprised at her suddenly starting to run. Haku caught up to her in no time at all.

Rose's eyes turned the sickly green before she used a wandless tracking charm on Hermione. She had always had the means of finding her two friends like they had as well. It was completely simpler that way.

Rose gritted her teeth, those two better be okay.

~5~

By the time that Rose and Haku had managed to catch up to Ron and Hermione, they had evidently lost their chasers. The two sat side by side breathing hard as they tried to catch their breath – both of them looking like they were dying a little bit.

"Hermione what was the first insult Ron gave you?" Rose asked slowing to a stop a few feet away from the two. She didn't think anyone could be impersonating them but... Rose stopped Haku from going any more forward by grabbing his shoulder.

Hermione looked up and smiled, before she scowled and glared at Ron. _"No wonder no one can stand her – she's a nightmare honestly."_

Ron paled and yelled putting his hands up in a surrender position. "I was eleven! Sorry!"

Hermione huffed, Ron glared and Rose and Rose just smiled. "Okay so what happened?"

Hermione sobered up instantly. "Okay, so maybe we didn't do the best job... But we figured out the location of the scroll, it's in these chambers by what looks like a throne room or something. In this room it looked like a muggle science lab – there was bits and pieces of everything. The scroll was located on the top shelf – I am sure. But-"

This was when Ron cut in looking sorry again. "I'm sorry woman!"

Hermione glared at Ron. "You blew everything! If you could just keep your mouth shut for five minutes!"

"Guys!" Rose yelled stopping the argument before it happened. "What happened?"

"Right," Hermione said. "Well, Orochimaru came in – at least I think it was him. And he started to move around but I got the feeling that he somehow knew someone was there. He... kind of reminds me of You-Know-Who... But when trying to advoid him, Ron swore – loudly and what do you know? The cloak falls of him and we have to run!"

Rose looked at the two nervously. "Did you... lose the cloak?"

Ron shook his head, that was somewhat of a relief.

"Why didn't you just use the... Disalounment charm?" Rose asked raisng her eyebrow.

Hermione scowled at Ron again. "It was better – I didn't know if he could see though it or not."

"No one can see though them Ronald!" Hermione scolded.

Ron glared back. "We don't know that!"

Rose sighed. "Not now, you two we have more important things to do right now!"

Hermione bowed her head. "Sorry Rosie."

Rose sighed, there would only be one thing for it. She'd have to go in.

"I'll go in. Do you think he'd have moved the scroll?"

Hermione shook her head. "No... He doesn't know why we were there I'm sure. We hadn't touched anything."

Rose nodded. "We should give it a few days to cool down. Then Haku and I will go in a get it."

Ron hesitated. "And if you don't?"

Rose glanced back at him before closing her eyes. "Let's not think about that, neh?"


	6. Chapter 6

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Six **_

_**How on earth does **__**he**__** know my mother?**_

Rose's eyes darted around the lab; Haku was behind her covered by her invisibility cloak. It had taken her awhile to convince him that it did work. But she had – somehow. Rose walked softly not making a sound; she had a lot of practice with that, mostly from stealing food from the fridge in the middle of the night when she lived with the Dursleys.

But still, the stakes were now higher than with what they had been with the ham. This was something to decide who won the war. Rose wasn't going to lose this time. The scroll either came with her or she wasn't leaving. She was determined. Hell, even if the scroll left and she didn't – as long as Ron and Hermione got it.

As long as Voldemort got defeated, Rose didn't care what happened to her – not anymore.

Rose glanced around all of the selves in search of the scroll; it had to be there somewhere. How on earth was she meant to know what the thing looked like? She had no picture to go by, just Hermione's vague description.

Rose could hear Hermione's voice in her head describing the damn thing. _"Rosie, the scroll is small and blue. It has 'snake' clearly written – even _Ron_ could find it."_

Rose didn't really want to remember the fight that she had to break up after that. Those two just couldn't stop constant bickering. It was irritating. But enough of that, she needed the scroll and now.

Rose's eye caught on a blue scroll on the top shelf; getting a closer look Rose could plainly see the word 'Snake' she was sure that it was the right one. The only problem with this was the fact that the shelf was almost double her height and the scroll was on the very top. Just bloody _lovely._

Rose searched the room for anything that might just help her; there was nothing to gain some height. The lab was obviously built for someone taller than her. But then again, she was five foot tall. She was still growing though – she knew it... It was still possible.

Rose glared up at the scroll, why did it have to be up so high? There was only one way Rose could see to get it – to summon it to her. Rose glanced around the room again – nothing was out of the ordinary. If no one but her and Haku were there then Rose didn't see the harm in summoning the stupid thing down for her.

Without speaking – which just made the whole thing that much harder Rose summoned the scroll towards her. That was easy almost too easy. Rose gripped the scroll in her hand. It didn't matter if it was slightly too easy to get the stupid thing, she was just being paranoid.

Rose was defiantly paranoid. She could almost hear Mad-eye yelling _'CONSTENT VILLIGENCE!'_ in her mind. But there was nothing for her to worry about... was there?

"And where do you think you're going with that?"

Rose spun around her heart beating wildly before she remembered that she couldn't be seen and neither could Haku. Too late Rose realised that there was a scroll hanging mid air in her invisible fist. Why hadn't she thought ahead and make sure the thing disappeared first?

Rose looked up to the sound of the voice. There was a ... man? That Rose was sure was Orochimaru. He looked a cross between pissed off and slightly amused.

The man was tall, almost nearing six foot tall. That meant that the lab was indeed built for a tall person. The man was extremely pale, paler than Rose herself was. He had some of the longest hair that Rose had ever seen, it being waist length and black in colour. He had amber coloured eyes with slit-like pupils and strange purple markings around his eyes.

The man wore odd clothing that Rose had come to realise was more normal here. He wore plain gray grabs with standard black pants – the odd part being the thick purple rope that was tied as a belt behind his back. Hell, he even had black and blue earrings. Rose was sure that this man was Orochimaru – and he knew they were there because of her idiocy.

There was one thing though, he seemed nothing like Voldemort. Where had Ron gotten that idea from? To start with the man had a _nose _and hair.

Rose stayed quiet, the entire time cursing her luck – and her idiocy. How could she forget to make the thing go invisible? What could she do now, he knew that someone was here, could she just vanish? But... Haku was there and she sure as hell wouldn't leave him behind.

Apparently Rose had taken too long in deciding what to do because the man's arm spun around his arm forming a cut like move. Rose raised one of her eyebrows – it was nowhere near her.

Orochimaru's arm connected with something that didn't move out of its way fast enough. The cloak side of Haku and he stumbled before regaining his posture and moving to a defensive position.

Before either teen realised it, Orochimaru was behind Haku with a knife at his neck. Haku froze much like Rose did.

"Well, well," The man began with a creepy twisted smile. "What is this device..? How intriguing. It might just keep you alive. Now of your partner would take his off then we'll all be happy, no?"

Haku didn't move a muscle, trying not to get his neck cut open. "I have no partner. A jutsu keeps the scroll there."

Rose frowned, but a second later smiled. It was adorable of Haku trying to protect her like that. She wasn't going to leave without him though. Rose never left anyone behind and she wasn't about to start now.

"Interesting..." He said before drawing the knife closer to Haku's neck. Rose could see beads of blood appearing under the silver blade. She couldn't let this happen.

But, was the scroll more important or was Haku more important. On one hand the scroll was the means to put an end to suffering for countless people but Haku was a human being. She could not put a price on human life after all. To be honest there wasn't really much of an argument was there?

With a sigh and a deep breath, Rose resolved herself. Wasn't this part of who she was? Rose Potter the chosen one, who protects everyone. She would protect Haku, but she sure as hell wasn't giving the damn scroll up.

With a flick of her wrist her charms faded away. Wandless magic had its uses, she was lucky to have the talent – half the time she wouldn't know what to do without it.

Orochimaru drew the knife slightly away from Haku's neck upon setting his eyes on Rose. He smiled and Rose could finally see what Ron had seen. Orochimaru might have hair and a nose but he still had that dark, twisted aura that Voldemort has. Was this what her life had come to? Fighting with dark, twisted psychopaths?

Rose figured that she needed a holiday of some sort. As soon as the war was finished and over and done with, Rose was going to go on that holiday. Maybe somewhere in Australia or America? Somewhere far, far away from England that was for sure.

"Well, well," He said his eyes glinting dangerously. Haku looked panicked. "Now what I was expecting... But alright never the less."

Rose's eyes narrowed what had he been expecting? "What were you expecting? Santa Claus?"

Rose figured if she never wanted to see that twisted smile on his face again then she would stop mocking him. Or using quips. Being serious all the way.

"I was expecting the red-haired boy. Acquaintance?"

Rose had to hide her widening eyes. Ron? The idiot had shown himself to him. That had to have mean that waiting a few days wouldn't be enough time to have passed, they should have attacked before he expected it or waited for a month or two to pass.

"Sorry, I don't know any red-heads."

Rose's response seemed to amuse him even further. Rose felt like cursing. She wasn't that obvious a lair was she?

"But the question is, why do you want that scroll?" He asked her his voice taking on a dangerously delicate tone.

Rose stood there for a minute, a million and one excuses running though her head. In the end, Rose went with the smartest one. "I'm a student. I am researching summoning – and, well, needed a summoning scroll and – stealing is the easiest way."

The black haired male simply looked amused. He didn't believe her, not that she blamed him – it did sound pretty stupid.

"Sorry," Rose said awkwardly. "I didn't mean to get caught."

He laughed; it was a spine-chilling laugh – not something that Rose felt like she needed to repeat anytime soon.

"Of course. Then you wouldn't mind, giving it back then?"

Rose bit the inside of her cheek, she did very much mind handing the thing over. She would not even if her life depended on it hand he thing over. "Well – I can't. I'll fail you see."

"Of course not. How about a deal? You give me the scroll and I don't kill your friend?" His eyes were sinister – and Rose just knew that he wouldn't hesitate in killing Haku.

"How about," Rose began slowly. "You don't kill Haku and let us go?"

Rose began forming a plan in her mind, she just needed to keep him distracted, and get Haku to her side. Then her plan to get out could begin. The problem was telling Haku this.

Orochimaru smiled at her, it was like a puppy getting kicked. "What is your name, child?"

"Evens, Lily." Rose said, picking the first name that came to her mind, this being her mother's maiden name.

He smirked. "Now, that can't be true."

Rose blinked and looked slightly offended, but she looked Haku in the eye and tried to gesture to him without the pale man realising it. "Why not? It is my name!"

His smirk deepened, he looked like he was telling a small child off for taking one to many cookies from the cookie jar. "Because, I know Evens Lily. An annoying child, but she should be at least thirty by now."

Rose actually gaped. "She had red hair too, unless you changed it."

"How the hell do you know my mother!?" Rose exclaimed not thinking about what she had just said.

Orochimaru sneered and looked at her with a critical eye. "Idiot girl, her and her cousin. I didn't know she'd managed to reproduce."

Rose cursed whatever god there was up there that hated her at the moment. She shouldn't have said that.

Rose closed her eyes momentarily, and conjured a flick of flame. It was time that she got out of there – even if she really did want to know how he'd met her mother.

Rose sent the explosion of flame towards Orochimaru, who in turn pushed Haku into the flame. Rose made the fire swirl harmlessly around Haku before going after Orochimaru again.

Haku instantly went to Rose's side. Orochimaru was busy trying to outrun her flame. Rose gripped one of her hands tightly around Haku's shoulder.

In a ten second period, the flame dispersed and Rose apparated away from the scene with Haku.

Rose's last sight was Orochimaru's severely pissed of face.

~6~

"We can't use it."

Rose looked at Hermione incredulously. What did she mean that they couldn't use the damned scroll?

"What do you mean!?" Ron demanded with frustration in his voice.

Hermione sighed. "It appears that you have to sign the contract in your own blood to be able to summon the snakes."

Rose shook her head. "No Problem."

Hermione shook her head. "Yes Problem, Rosie. You don't have Chakra. Ron and I both don't have it either – we can't use it."

This time it was Ron who shook his head. "But Haku can, use it I mean."

Rose's eyes flew to the boy, as she ignored Hermione's nervous look.

Almost as if he anticipated the question, Haku responded. "I will do what you need of me."

Rose hesitated and Hermione interjected. "Haku, only if you really want to! Not because we're making you, you can say no – you're not a tool."

Haku nodded his head. "I understand. This is important, yes?"

Rose nodded her head. "Only a little. But if you don't want to then that's completely fine with us! We can find another way."

Haku shook his head. "I will sign the contract."

~3~

Rose didn't know what she expected to happen when Haku signed the contact and summoned his first snake. It was a tiny thing, completely white in colour.

What she hadn't expected was the snake to take one look at Haku and disappear. What happened after that was an even bigger surprise.

A huge ass, white snake appeared yelled about a new summoner and wanting a hundred human sacrifices. Whatever Rose had expected to happen – this was not it. The snake seemed slightly too blood thirsty for her likings.

"My name is Haku. I am the new summoner." Haku declared, actually looking slightly nervous.

The snake swayed angrily. "You pest! Do you think I'd let anyone summon us mighty snakes!?"

Rose's eyes darted to Ron and Hermione. She caught Ron mutter in surprise, "It talks english… A snake is taking people talk."

"Japanese," Hermione corrected absentmindedly.

"Shut up," Rose hissed at the two teens, intercepting a fight that she could feel build.

"Of course not," Haku said smoothly, hiding every hint of nervousness. "Do you have a test for me?"

"Test!?" The snake yelled, knocking down several trees with his tail. "Bring me a hundred humans to eat!"

"No," Haku responded calmly.

"No!? You pest! Die!" The snake roared as he brought his tail put again to slash at Haku. Haku got out of the way quickly again, and tried to reason with the snake.

"There must be something else?" Haku asked, as he dogged a falling tree. Rose intervened and casted a shield around Haku, stopping another tree to hit him.

"No you ant! Now die!"

Haku dogged again, and Rose, Ron and Hermione found that they now had to dodge falling trees and a thrashing snakes tail as well.

Suffice to say allot of shields got thrown around.

"Haku, can you send it back?" Ron yelled, and he twisted out of the sakes reach.

"I don't know how!" Haku cried, sounding out of breath.

"No pressure, but I can't keep this up for long!" Rose yelled, pushing magic into a spell to bind the snake down for a bit. The snake twitched violently, but stopped knocking down all of the trees.

Haku's face melted into one of concentration. The snake's tail lashed out from Rose's spell, and Hermione pinned that part of the snake down.

A bead of sweat rolled down Rose's face, she really couldn't hold it for much longer. Hermione and Ron wouldn't be able to hold the snake for more than a few minutes either – and Hermione was already helping her.

Hermione groaned and started to mutter about the lack of foresight that went into this.

"Haku?" Rose asked, desperation sinking into her voice – she could feel the binds on the snake weakening by the second, and she couldn't stop them.

Rose started to pull some of her magic back – this rate she was heading for exhaustion, really what made her think she could fight Orochimaru and this big snake in the same day?

Rose couldn't let herself get to the point of exhaustion. The snake struggled, before Ron decided to pitch in and pin the snake down himself. Rose withdrew a little bit more.

"Just… Do what feels right! Try… to hurry up though, Haku."

Rose felt her power wane even further… Then… the snake disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Haku had done it. Rose smiled before she tripped over a stray tree and blacked out.

~6~

_There was a darkly lit hall; she was walking down at a slow, confident pace. Everything was going as planned._

_The door at the end of the black-bricked hall swung open, when she was only three steps away from the entry point, bathing the hallway with a dim light. She glided though the doorway to see three of the most trusted deatheaters she had in her command._

"_My Lord," They all said, bowing low to the ground. This pleased her, they knew who was in charge – who would rule._

_She felt herself nod at the creatures that were underneath her. She glided around the large room, taking her place at a seat – her throne. Where she was the ruler and they were all but her minions. _

"_News?" She asked in a disinterested voice. Like they couldn't say anything that would displease her. She was already to far into her plans – nothing could stop her, not now._

"_My Lord," The blonde, Lucius Malfoy began as he stepped forward still in his bow. _

_She nodded her head, with a sinister smile designed to scare him. Her most trusted had to be scared into not betraying her after all. Even though, if they were real Slytherins or at least had half a brain they would say with her – the winning side._

"_Yes Lucius?"_

_The Malfoy head looked at his shoes, yes, the man knew of his betters. "The Potter girl, My Lord, she didn't come foreword at the death of the Mudblood boy." _

_She sneered, the girl, she admitted, had surprised her on that one. She had expected the girl in her foolish bravo to go and save her classmate – she'd even chosen one that she had to have known to draw her out._

_Dean Thomas. Although it appeared, that the girl was more cold hearted then she gave her credit for. Either that or she hadn't heard._

_Her eyes narrowed at her follower. "I'm sorry, My Lord, we shall do better next time."_

"_Next time?" She asked softly. "That's if you last to next time."_

"_My Lord?" He asked his voice quivering with fear – just how she liked it._

"_Crucio!"_

"Rose! Rose! Rosie! Wake up! It's just a dream, wake up!"

Rose's eyes flew open, to Hermione hovering over her. Rose glanced around; Ron was with Haku going over what looked like to be a sheet of paper.

What had just happened? Nothing like that had happened for a long time. She knew what had happened, she had slipped into Voldemort's mind again. This time he didn't seem to realise it.

This only happened to her when she was too tired to fight it off. When she didn't have the power too, evidently, she had used too much fighting the snake.

The connection between her and Voldemort was very fragile. It took allot of concentration and always being able to have the power ready to fight her way out and block her mind off. But this time she hadn't been able too.

Something like this hadn't happened since she was sixteen. She'd stopped them. She couldn't let herself fall into his mind again; it was much too dangerous for her.

Rose's eyes widened again, as she recalled the dream. _Dean._ He'd killed Dean in an effort to draw her out. Rose balled her hand into a fist.

She needed to hurry up, this was a war and she was losing.

"Rose! Rosie, what happened?" Hermione asked her softly, concerned.

Rose looked up at Hermione she could feel tears in her eyes. Someone else had died for her, again. "Dean, he killed Dean, Hermione! He killed him to draw me out! We – we need to hurry up."

Hermione's eyes widened. "What do you mean, Rose? You didn't go into his mind again did you Rose? You know how dangerous that can be!"

"Of course I know!" Rose snapped. "I didn't mean to! But he's pissed Hermione. We need to stop him."


	7. Chapter 7

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Seven**_

Rose looked around the room, the tent, wondering what Hermione told Haku about the tent. Rose could be as sure as hell that she hadn't told him that it was magical. But looking at Haku now it was sure as hell that he didn't feel at all curious about the tent.

Rose wasn't sure how she was meant to feel about that. But she figured that she should be relieved, so she settled on that one.

"Alright, I know where we're going next guys!" Hermione called out happily.

Hermione had been studying the snake summoning scroll for the last few days, trying to figure out if there was anyone else they could go to summon Nangi for them.

Ron instantly shot up from his bunk. Haku looked over at Hermione with interest and Rose rolled over to face Hermione. She didn't feel that great to be honest.

She felt crap. Dean had been killed by Voldemort, she had seen that. In a lure, and Mr. Malfoy had been hurt for it not working.

"Where are we going then, Hermione?" Rose asked, trying to block out the memory.

"To Konoha!" She said sounding ridiculously pleased with herself.

"Why?" Ron moaned throwing himself back onto his bunk. "That's like a four day walk from here!"

Hermione glared at Ron. "Because, Ronald, the last person – therefore most likely to still be alive – to sign the summoning scroll; is a woman by the name of Masahri Anko."

Rose blinked. "Brilliant Hermione! You're a genius! Come on guys let's get packed up!" Rose said pushing herself into a sitting position clapping her hands together.

"Wait!" Ron said quickly. "We can't just walk over there and expect them to let us in."

Hermione frowned. "True..."

Rose brushed this off though, picking things away already. "It's alright, I can get us in."

"How?" Ron demanded.

Rose grinned, as she walked over to Ron and slung her arm over his shoulder. "It's called the art of negotiation."

"You can't negotiate in ten seconds, with a four day distance between you," Ron pointed out rationally.

Rose grinned again. "Yeah, but I can."

"No, you- I don't even want to argue this. You'll win somehow."

Rose laughed. "Your right about that one, Ron, but I made a deal with Kakashi."

Ron looked confused but it was Hermione who asked the question. "Was that the silver haired guy?"

Rose and Haku nodded their heads at the exact same time.

Hermione clapped her hands together excitedly. "Great, thanks Rosie! Now we have a way in. Then all we have to do is find her and convince her to help us!"

"Yeah, Hermione," Ron began slightly annoyed. "How're we going to do that, exactly?"

Hermione waved Ron off. "That's Rose's problem not ours."

Rose felt indigent. "How is it my problem to convince the woman?"

Hermione sighed. "That is because you have this strange talent of getting people on your side."

Rose blinked slowly and turned to look at Ron, seeking a second opinion. "I do?"

Ron nodded his head sagely.

Rose would have asked Haku but as it was, they'd only known each other for a few days. So she just took it as a truth. She hadn't even realised it – how strange. How could she not realise she had such a powerful tool?

Rose saw Hermione smile. "It's just like the Professor always says Rose. You're a born leader."

Rose smiled back before shaking her head, a frown appearing. The Professor had lied to them all. "Alright, then, let's get packing!"

With that the four teens packed up their magical tent, to get ready for four days of travailing to Konoha.

~7~

Thankfully the weather had been nice out for their tip so far. Rose didn't know what she would do if it started to rain. She knew that she would force everyone to keep walking – not caring about the weather. But she would be annoyed never-the-less.

It was an annoying scenario to think of. Rose frowned as she watched Ron and Hermione up ahead of her and Haku; she could hear the conversation perfectly.

They were talking about different chess plays. Ron was trying to teach Hermione some of the better ones again. Hermione had always been terrible at chess; something that Rose secretly found was good for the girl.

Rose glanced off to her side where Haku was walking. Judging from the look on his face her was listening in on Ron and Hermione's conversation and it was making him confused.

"It's a game," Rose finally said to Haku. The boy in question turned to face Rose his face begging to know more.

"It's what we call _Ron's game_. Because he's practically unbeatable at the thing. It's a strategy game, we all suck at it except him," Rose went on to say. "Don't expect me to know the rules. I hate it, but if you really want to know, Ron will be pleased to teach it to you."

Haku's face lit up slightly. His facial expression didn't change much, but Rose could tell that he was happier with the knowledge. Rose promised herself that she would talk to Ron about teaching him when they got to Konoha, and before they left.

That annoyed Rose. Not knowing when they were going to leave, they'd leave of course when the snake got killed. But they had no way in telling if Anko would be an easy person to convince or a difficult one.

Deep down, Rose knew she would be a difficult one because of her own personal brand of luck. This luck let her get into the worst situations only to let her get past them by the skin of her teeth.

"Why are we allowed in Konoha Rose-Sama?" Haku asked his voice was hesitant.

"What did I say about calling me that?" Rose said instead. She knew she would have to tell Haku anyway, but, she was a coward.

"I apologise, Rose-Sama," he said automatically.

Rose sighed. She wasn't a coward, she was a Gryffindor and Gryffindor's weren't cowards. She'd tell Haku.

"I made a deal, with Kakashi about you," Rose said finally managing to break out and just say it. It had only in reality been a few days but Rose already cared about Haku a lot.

"What was the deal?" Haku asked sounding a little upset. Rose felt terrible; she had figured that she wouldn't care about Haku after a small amount of time. She had been wrong.

"You were going to stay in Konoha and become one of their ninja," Rose said, a little sadly.

Haku's eyes widened slightly. "Why? Can't I stay with you, Rose-Sama, please?"

Rose had never heard Haku say 'please' in the entire time that she'd known him. Whilst she hadn't known him all that long, Rose still felt he rarely said it.

"Listen Haku – I really care about you, and so do Ron and Hermione. But because we care about you, we know you'll be safer in Konoha," Rose said seriously.

Haku looked like he was slightly annoyed, and just over a bit upset with the news, but there was still a hint of happiness. "Rose-Sama, I do not mean to be rude but... You are sending me to be a _ninja_ of one of the strongest villages for me to be safe?"

Well, when he put it like that... Rose smiled slightly. "Yes, but as one of the strongest they'll have strong ninja. They'll take care of you. Anyway Haku..." Rose paused for a second an idea coming to her. "Do you know what it is that we're doing Haku?"

Haku paused for a moment. "No, I don't Rose-Sama."

Rose nodded her head. "Yes, well, what we're doing is very brave and stupid. We need to kill this snake to kill the guy that killed my parents."

Haku looked even more upset with the news. "I apologise, Rose-Sama."

Rose waved him off. "This guy is really powerful; he has the ability to crush everyone and everything around me. In fact, after he's said he was going to kill someone and tried to do it? I'm the only one that's survived."

Haku looked at Rose with a new found sense of amazement. Rose grimaced and nodded. "I really want you to be safe. You'd be protected in Konoha. Please Haku?"

Haku still looked a bit upset but he nodded his head anyway. "As you wish, Rose-Sama."

Rose felt a small smile appear on her face. "We won't leave until you're settled. Even after we get what we came for, not leaving until you're happy with it. Alright kid?"

Haku gave Rose a genuine smile. "Thank you, Rose-Sama."

Rose sighed in relief. "Don't call me that."

"Of course, Rose-Sama," Haku replied instantly.

~7~

Rose was relieved to finally get to the front gate indicating that they were now in Konoha. It had been a difficult journey there.

This was because half-way there Ron and Hermione got into one of their legendary fights. This was why Rose felt that despite what everyone else around Hogwarts said; there was no way that those two would get together. Of course there was a chance, for example in fourth year Ron had a crush on Hermione and sixth year Hermione had a crush on Ron.

But they'd never truly last.

They were just too different. Hermione needed someone who was smart and able to talk to someone on her level, she shouldn't have to settle for anything less.

Ron on the other hand needed someone who was firm, but knew how to 'let lose' a bit more than Hermione did. Hermione did let things go, just not enough to be with Ron on any other level than as friends. But really this was just Rose's opinion.

"Name, reason for coming to Konoha," The guard said dully, looking at the four of them with boredom.

"Right," Rose said. "I'm Potter Rose; I'm here to see the Hokage. Uh, someone called Hatake Kakashi told me to come?"

The guard looked decidedly more interested now as he riffled though some papers, prodding the person that was asleep next to him. "Izumo! I'm going! Wake up and do your job."

Ron snickered, and Rose's lips twitched into a smile.

The male turned to face them with an interested look and a friendly smile. "Hello, I'm Kotetsu! I'll take you to the Hokage, we've been expecting you."

It kind of sounded creepy. "I've always wanted to say that!" Kotetsu continued when he saw their floored faces. Rose smiled again.

"Hey, I'm Rose, this is Granger Hermione, Weasley Ron and Haku," Rose said pointing to everyone respectively.

Kotetsu waved at them all happily, and made his way down towards the Hokage office.

The four teens followed him without many words. Kotetsu kept talking.

"So anyway, what brings you four to Konoha, under the copy-ninja's name even!"

"Ah," Rose answered him, confused. "Who is this copy-ninja?"

He looked at Rose carefully, like he was trying to see if Rose was being serious or not. "Who is the copy-ninja? Hatake Kakashi, I thought you knew him..?"

Rose's face was one of surprise. "Oh? Yes, I forgot about that."

The man's disbelief was growing. "You forgot about an S-rank ninja?"

Rose blinked, but it was Hermione who asked the question. "S-rank?"

The guard looked between the four of them like he was surprised that they were even alive still. "Do you guys make a habit of making friends with high-classed ninja, not knowing their high-classed ninja?"

Rose blinked; they hadn't met enough ninja to actually say that but... "Yes."

What did S-Rank mean anyway?

The man shook his head at them. "This is the Hokage tower," He said as he gestured to the large circular building in was in the middle of the town.

"We can just go straight in, I'll tell the Hokage your here."

He then showed them into the building and left them in a small room that looked a bit like a waiting area, receptionist included. But Koutesu just ignored her and walked straight in to where Rose assumed was the Hokage.

Kotetsu after a few minutes walked right back out of the office a smile in place. "Well, you guys can go straight in. I gotta go back to the gate now, but it's been nice meeting you!"

Rose smiled and waved after him, and the four walked into the Hokage's office. Rose noticed that the room was spacious, and there was a massive window behind a large desk the housed, an old looking man – who Rose assumed to be the Hokage and a younger brown hired man, with a scar sunning down the bridge of his nose.

Rose smiled at them, receiving a smile from the brown haired man in return. The older-man than began to talk.

"Hello, I'm the Hokage, and this is Umino Iruka, my aid," he said slowly, pronouncing his words to full effect.

Rose knew that she had to talk, this must have been what Hermione meant, that she was a born leader. "Hello, Hokage-Sama, Umino-San. My name is Potter Rose, and these are my friends, Granger Hermione, Weasley Ron and this, this is Haku."

Rose's hand rested on Haku shoulder, the boy gave her a blank looked, his emotions cleanly hidden from them all.

"Ah, so you're Rose. Kakashi-Kun has told me all about you, and young Haku of course."

Rose smiled weakly at the Hokage, wondering just what Kakashi had told the Hokage about them.

"Oh? That's great, than we can waste little time with boring explanations, yes?" Rose said in a friendly voice.

"Of course," The Hokage stated, amused. "Haku we welcome you to Konoha. Kakashi has informed me that you could make a good medic, or perhaps after some time a teacher?"

Haku looked surprised by the options presented to him. "O-Of course, Hokage-Sama. I would like to be a medic, sir."

The Hokage chuckled. "Ah the youth of today. We will start you will lessons, young Haku. Is there anything else?"

Rose hesitated. "Yes, we were wondering if we," She gestured to Ron and Hermione. "Could be allowed to stay until Haku is settled in? I've grown pretty fond of him."

Rose smiled and mused of Haku's hair a little bit. Rose noticed Haku's hard expression soften a little bit. The Hokage saw this too. "Of course is that all?"

"Um, no, Hokage-Sama," Hermione's small voice interrupted. "Haku has this problem that we were told that someone in Konoha could help."

The Hokage leaned back, and Rose knew that he was being a smidge more serious now. "Ana this problem may be, young lady?"

Hermione faulted slightly before straightening herself out. "Haku can summon snakes but he can't quite control them yet?"

The Hokage sighed. "Yes, we can have Anko help young Haku. Now if that's all?" He was met with silence. "Then Iruka here will show you all to Haku's new apartment, the rent had been payed three months in advance. It's been a pleasure meeting you all."

Iruka smiled and nodded respectfully to the Hokage and gestured for the four of them to follow him out of the room.

And that's exactly what happened. The five people walked in relative silence until Hermione said, "Well, that was scary."

Rose smiled. "Not in the slightest Hermione."

Hermione huffed at Rose, before Rose winked at her. "Well, just because you have practice talking to leaders and stuff."

"How so?" Rose challenged. Ron and Haku seemed to be ignoring the conversation; Rose knew it was because they knew about the strange things that they conversed about. Irkua was listening in still, not knowing that it would most likely just give him a headache listening.

"You talk to the Professors on regular – non-school related matters! Minsters, other important figures regularly! You could go to Professor Dumbledore and ask him why the sky is blue, whereas most normal students never even talked to him."

Rose blinked, half of what Hermione was saying going over her head. "Why is the sky blue Hermione?"

Hermione looked at her incredulously. "Is that all you've got out of my rant?"

"...You don't know do you?"

That was when Iruka interrupted. "It's a refraction of light."

What the hell is refraction? Rose thought.

Hermione was already hocked into an hour long conversation. "What is refraction?"

"It's the way that light bends. In the atmosphere light bends a certain way and blue is the colour that turns up," Iruka explained to Hermione. Hermione was fascinated.

"The way light bends? Does this have any other impact?" She pressed eagerly.

Rose wanted to hit her head. What had she started?

~7~

Rose was woken up the next morning by a loud knocking at the door of Haku's two-bedroom-ed apartment. Haku shared a room with Ron for now while Rose and Hermione shared one. Hermione had woken up a few hours ago in a brilliant mood.

Rose wasn't in such a mood. She just wanted to sleep away her sleepiness. With a sigh Rose pushed away the covers that were keeping her warm. She had to get up eventually.

Rose put on her fitted jeans, and a light pink shirt that she was sure was a present from Ginny. Right now Rose could care less. Walking out of the room, Rose messed up her hair knowing by the time she was done it would be in her normal messy spikes, pixie look.

Rose turned into the lounge room area. What she saw surprised even her. Ron it looked like was trying to teach Haku chess, Naruto handing off Haku's shoulder. Hermione was in a conversation with Hatake Kakashi and Sakura. Whilst Haku and Sasuke were locked into a glaring match.

Rose blinked and rubbed her eyes and blinked again.

Ron glanced over at her and looked at her strangely. "You own a pink shirt?"

"Apparently," Rose said dryly. "I _think_ your sister gave it to me."

All heads turned in Rose's direction. "Rosie you're awake, finally!"

"You talk as if I've been asleep for hours... which I kind of have now that I think about it...and, why are you guys here?" Rose asked bewildered.

"Rose-Nee-Chan!" Naruto exclaimed. Wait, Nee-Chan? "We get to show you around Konoha!"

So they'd been given guards huh? Rose couldn't fault the Hokage, if she were him, then she wouldn't trust her either.

"Really? Cool," Rose muttered distractedly.

"Yeah, and now your awake, Nee-Chan, we can show you! Let's go get ramen!" Naruto yelled fist pumping in the air.

Rose was clueless. "Ramen? What's Ramen?" she asked despite everyone shaking their heads at her.

Naruto looked like she had just ruined his entire life in one sentence. "What's ramen? What's ramen? Only the best food in existence! We must go have ramen now!" He yelled, in a heroic pose.

Rose gaped wordlessly at him. Kakashi intervened. "Okay, Lord Ramen calm down. We can go later."

Naruto slumped but was happy again at the promise of ramen. "Heh, Yay! Ramen! I like Lord Ramen; you shall all address me as Lord Ramen from now on!"

The faces of his teammates said it all. "No," Sakura and Sasuke said at the same time.

Rose laughed and Naruto pouted, causing Rose to laugh harder.

Ten minutes later had the eight people walking out of Haku's apartment on a tour of Konoha.

Konoha was an interesting place, there were many houses, wide roads, and a lot of people littering around.

Naruto, Haku and Sakura walked at the front, pointing out anything and everything noteworthy. Rose felt pleased that Haku was seemingly enjoying himself.

Sasuke, walked silently, (Rose was sure he was glaring at the back of Haku's head) next to Ron and Hermione after them, who were listening to Naruto and Sakura's monologue of interesting places.

That left Rose walking next to Kakashi behind the group. Rose found it hard to concentrate on what the two kids were saying, but she found that Konoha was an amazing place for them to all look at. She was practically awed by the tranquillity.

"You came sooner than expected. By the way you were talking I assumed a few months, not a few days," Kakashi said lazily, easily keeping pace with Rose.

"Yeah, well, I had meant a few months, we finished sooner than expected." Or at least they would have if the snake idea had worked out. "But, hey, Haku was alright in coming sooner."

Kakashi looked over at Haku in a lazy fashion. "Hm, he seems to be a good kid."

Rose nodded her head with a smile playing on the edge on her mouth. "He is a good kid. Just have some issues with being branded a tool and not a human."

Kakashi reclined his head to the side. "Ninja do have that problem."

Rose felt almost horrified. "Ninja think they're all tools!?" She demanded with her eyes wide.

Kakashi looked at her for a split-second longer than he had anytime previously. "That is what it means to be a ninja. To be a tool, to be used to protect your village, and Hokage."

Rose looked at him shocked. "Seriously? This isn't just a Haku thing?"

Kakashi shook his head – no. Rose found this to be completely wrong. Who would just do that to people? Because ninja were just that, people. People weren't tools to be used that just couldn't be right.

"That's not right..." Rose muttered under her breath.

"It's the way life is," Kakashi said slowly, lazily.

"Do you think that?" Rose asked suddenly, gaining volume.

"Think what? That we are tools? Yes."

Rose stared at him. He just kept looking forward seemingly bored with the entire preceding, not looking at all concern about anything they had talked about.

"That's wrong, I'm going to show you that there's more to life than being a ninja," Rose declared, decided.

Kakashi seemed amused for a second before he squashed it with dis-interest. "Oh? Well, good luck with that then Rose-San."

Rose just smiled. "Oh, you should know that I'm practically the luckiest person alive. OI, NARUTO, CAN WE HAVE RAMEN NOW?"

Rose heard Naruto scream back, "Yay!"

And with that Rose assumed that they were gone off to get Ramen. She would make as many ninja as possible see that live was worth living. She'd start with Haku and Kakashi, and perhaps Sasuke. Sakura and Naruto seemed fine.

She'd see what she could manage before she left. But for now... Rose was really hungry.


	8. Chapter 8

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Eight**_

Mornings were never Rose's thing. She hated the very principle of daylight. Maybe it was because the Dursleys had always made sure that she awoke early in the morning, and everywhere else she needn't bother with it.

Who knew? All that Rose knew was that she hated mornings. They were the bane of all evil. Rose sighed and closed her eyes.

"Rose-Sama? It's your turn."

Rose re-opened her eyes to the chess game that she was playing with Haku. Rose hated chess to, mainly because she sucked at it – or maybe because Haku was beating her really badly. It made Rose feel better to think that Haku had Ron's help.

Rose moved her pawn forward only to have it taken down instantly with Haku's castle. It was an annoying game. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

Rose stood up to go and answer said knock but Ron waved her off. "I'll get it, keep playing."

Ron usually hated to do things... Unless it served to annoy her. Rose watched with little interest randomly moving her pieces around. Ron went to the door, opened the door and got a dumb look on his face and blurted out, "I like your hair."

Rose looked at Haku and Haku looked at Rose at exactly the same time. Rose moved her Queen and then Haku moved into check mate. Rose had lost... _again_.

"Hellooo! My name is Masahri Anko! I'm here to take Haku and train him in the ways, which I see fit!" A taller woman with purple hair burst into the room smiling wildly, she was only dressed in a _trench_ coat. "Now, which one of you is Haku?"

Haku blinked and raised his hand slowly. "Great! You can call me Anko-Sensei! Now let's get to the training part!"

"Excuse me," Hermione interrupted the loud woman. "We were wondering if we could come and watch?"

Anko blinked and looked at the three teenagers, she grinned widely at Ron. "No problem, don't care. It's not my fault if you die though!"

"Lovely," Rose muttered under her breath.

~&*%~

Rose watched as Haku narrowly dodged an incoming barrage of Kunai. This was intense; Rose now knew what Anko had said about it not being her fault if they died.

As it was, Rose wasn't coming back to Haku's training sessions. To start with – Rose didn't have a death wish.

It was right then that Anko called a ten minute break, and Haku collapsed on the ground gasping for breath. Ron and Hermione were instantly by his side. Rose walked over to where Anko was standing.

"I was wondering... How does this help him summon snakes?" Rose asked when she came to a stop next to the purple-haired woman.

Anko laughed. "Summoning is only for the strongest ninja! It isn't as easy as _you_ seem to think."

Rose did her best to not be offended by the statement. "What level do you have to be at exactly?" Rose pressed, wanting to know all the details.

Anko gave her a sharp look, and Rose realised that she might have to be a bit more careful. "It depends."

Rose thought about that for a minute. "How long is it going to take Haku to get to the summoning part?"

Anko started to walk away from Rose but she called over her shoulder. "I'm not sure, a while. Come on Haku! Fight me!"

With that Anko threw a punch at Haku's face and Haku berley dodged out of the way again. Rose wondered how long this was going to take.

Rose was alright with waiting a little while, but this no set time thing was going to get on her nerves. Rose sighed; hopefully everything would work out.

~%&~&^~&^~

Rose paused to think about what she wanted to eat. Ramen sounded like something that would be nice. She'd have to thank Naruto later for introducing her to the stuff.

"Salt Ramen?" Rose asked from the waitress.

"We'll have Pork," Hermione said gesturing to herself and Ron.

Ron sighed.

"Coming right up!" The young waitress said walking away happily.

"It's going to take awhile," Rose concluded. "Longer than what we had planned anyway."

Hermione nodded her head. "We can't exactly rush anything; we have to wait it out."

"We can't just wait it out Hermione!" Ron said.

"Well," Hermione began haughtily. "Do you see _any_ other option here?"

Ron's shoulders slumped and the waitress walked towards their table balancing three bowls of noddles on her arm, setting them down in front of all of them.

"Thanks," Rose said to the girl, as Ron and Hermione glared at each other.

"Dean's gone, who knows who's going to be next?" Rose added in agreement with what Ron was saying. "But, Hermione's right too... There's nothing we can do, except wait for Haku."

Ron sighed. "Who's going to be next because we were waiting for some kid to summon a snake? Why can't we just get Anko to do it?"

Hermione sighed and Rose dug into the haven that washer food. "Because Ron, don't you think it wouldn't be at all suspicious?"

Ron shrugged his shoulders. "It would be faster."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ron. Rose could feel another one of their legendary fight's coming on. "Oh, and what would we tell her, hmm? Summon this snake because I want to kill it!"

Ron opened his mouth to argue but Rose cut him off. "No, we wait for Haku to finish. It makes everything easier."

The two other teens fell silent. Rose took this to mean that they were both going with what Rose said.

Rose didn't want to have to wait, no, she wanted Voldemort gone right now but that couldn't happen. Anyway she had promised Haku that they would stay until he was comfortable, what was another week or two when they most likely already wasted months?

~#~$~%^~&~~(~

Rose never liked shopping, thinking back – there really wasn't many things that she did like that the Dursleys made her do. But, Haku's house needed food, and they needed food.

So that meant that Rose and Hermione would go food shopping whilst Haku and Ron stayed behind playing the evil game known as chess. It would slightly troublesome.

It took Rose and Hermione just over an hour and stopping to ask for directions twice before they found something that resembled a supermarket. Walking though the door, Hermione grabbed one of the trolleys, and they were on their way.

To start off with they brought all the basic things they needed like milk, bread and cereal, but after that they were both at a loss. The reason why? Neither of them knew what half of the food the shop held was.

"Ah, Hermione? You didn't by any chance find an unusual interest in finding out about other culture's foods did you?" Rose asked with a small smile.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I even found an interest in other languages."

Rose huffed in annoyance. "Well, we could just wing it to see what tastes nice?"

Before Hermione could respond, Rose felt something bowl into her side. Rose looked down to see a ball of yellow and orange. "Rose-Chan!"

Rose grinned. "Hey Naruto! What are you doing here?"

Naruto let go of Rose with a huge sunny grin. "We got a mission buying food for this old man. I'm getting eggs because Sakura-Chan told me too. But then I-!"

Rose patted Naruto on the head as he jabbered on about who knows what. Rose and Hermione shared an amused look.

"Naruto?! Where are you, Naruto!?" A very loud female voice yelled.

Naruto gulped and cut his chatter – something about the benefits of Ramen over normal noodles. "Ah oh... Sakura-Chan's being scary again."

Rose and Hermione both laughed at the description of his female teammate. "She's not that scary," Rose whispered to Naruto. Hermione snorted with laughter.

Sakura turned around the corner, with the rest of her team behind her. Sasuke looked bored and Kakashi? Well he was reading a small orange book.

"Rose-San! Hermione-san!" Sakura greeted cheerfully, causing Kakashi to look up and put the book away. Rose did wonder what was in that book, he would never tell her...

"Hey Sakura! How are you?" Rose said cheerfully, her day just getting that little bit better.

"Good, Rose-San! What are you doing here?" Sakura asked.

"Shopping," Hermione answered with a hint of humour. The three ninja had now fully made their way over to Rose and Hermione and their bundle of food.

Sakura smiled at them cheerfully. "Did you get the eggs... Dobe," Sasuke asked in a dry voice.

Naruto went slightly red, but before he could yell, Rose put her hand over his mouth to muffle the sound. She got many looks of gratitude.

"Because we're here together, Rose-San, do you want to shop together?" Sakura asked again.

Rose ginned but Hermione was the one who answered. "Of course we would," Then in a quieter voice she added, "Then maybe we would know what we're buying."

Rose snickered. This began the shopping trip with team 7 and Rose and Hermione.

It was slightly exhausting for Rose to watch Naruto dart around the shopping centre trying to find everything, mainly because that's exactly what she did too. Sue her, it looked like fun.

Every once in a while Rose would stop to stare at some name of a food in confusion, it was really confusing for the young Potter. And almost every time, Kakashi explained just what everything was, and if it was any good – in his opinion.

To say the least Rose was trusting Kakashi's opinion on food at the moment. In the end, Rose and Hermione had gotten their food, and Team 7 had completed their mission.

!~ ~~

Rose walked down another lane way to find herself right back where she started. Completely lost. Rose didn't really know what had possessed her to get out of the apartment, she was really bored.

Now she was lost with no idea where she was... Rose would have asked for directions but she always got these really odd looks, plus, she was terrible with directions. Boredom at it finest...

Rose sighed, as she decided to walk north was the best option. And after about five minutes of walking Rose realised why it was a good option. On the roof of some house, Kakashi sat, not reading his small book for once but she staring out at the darkening sky.

Rose only wondered whose roof he was sitting on.

"Hey Kakashi!" Rose called to him. Kakashi's head snapped to Rose, before he stood off and gracefully jumped of the house.

Rose blinked. "How do you do that?"

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "I'm a ninja."

Rose's lips twitched. "Oh, really? I hadn't noticed..."

Kakashi scratched his check slowly. "Well, you're unusually unobservant then."

Rose snorted. "Yeah, I've been told that before..."

Kakashi shook his head, amusement clearly show in his only visible eye. "What are you doing here, Rose? Aren't you staying down off main?"

Rose's face fell slightly. "Well, you see, I'm kind of... lost?"

Kakashi chuckled at Rose, causing her to glare at him. "It's not funny, people get lost all the time, you know."

Kakashi just waved her off. "I'll show you the way back."

Rose nodded her head. "Thank you."

Kakashi and Rose began to walk, to where Rose assumed – was Haku's apartment.

"So," Rose began. "What were you doing, just staring at the sky?"

Kakashi nodded his head. "Something like that."

Rose paused for a minute. Kakashi was so open about being carefree and happy, but yet he was the most guarded person that she knew. Maybe it was because he was a ninja, maybe it was because he viewed himself as something to be gotten rid of the second that he had passed his usefulness.

Maybe, it was just how he was. But, Rose had never been more determined to get to know someone. The first step of course would be learning about him, getting him to open up – spending more time with him.

Of course to Rose, this didn't sound too bad. Kakashi was an interesting person, and she wouldn't mind becoming friends with him.

"Are you hungry?" Rose blurted out, the first thing she could think of to 'spend more time with him'.

Kakashi merely shrugged his shoulders. Rose grinned. "I think we should get an early dinner... I've wanted to try BBQ for awhile, but Hermione always says no."

"Alright," Kakashi said in an uncaring tone.

"Do you know anywhere to get BBQ?" Rose asked.

Kakashi nodded his head. "This way," he said as they made a sharp turn right.

Rose bit her lip again but didn't say anything until they got to the food place. It looked different from anywhere she had been before. After they were seated and Kakashi had ordered, (Rose still had no idea what anything was), Rose was determined to start a conversation again.

"What's your favourite colour?" Rose asked the first thing that popped into her mind.

"Hmm?"

"Your favourite colour, mine's red," Rose explained.

Kakashi blinked and stared blankly at Rose for a few minutes before quickly saying, "Green... What's the point in this?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Best way to get to know someone," she said as her way of explaining.

Kakashi nodded his head sagely before turning to look out a window.

"Ah... How about... Your favourite food?"

Kakashi seemed to think this over, and seeing no harm in answering he replied. "Miso soup with eggplant. How about you, Rose?"

Rose blinked and thought on it for a minute, it was treacle tart, but he wouldn't know what that was... Well, she didn't know what miso soup was... "Treacle Tart."

Kakashi blinked. "Never heard of it."

Rose grinned happily. "I didn't think you would have... It's a-mazing!..."

Rose trailed off when she realised that the food in front of them had finished cooking. Rose began to eat straight away, looking down at her food. When she was finished she glanced over at Kakashi to realise that he had eaten faster than her... and he was still wearing that cursed mask.

"How'd you do that?"

"Do what?" Kakashi asked, uninterested.

"Eat like that, how fast!?" Rose said slightly in awe.

Kakashi smiled. "I'm a ninja."

"So you've said," Rose muttered under her breath. "Anyway, if you weren't a ninja... but a magical being... what would you be?"

Kakashi paused. "Like a.. werewolf or something, you mean?"

Rose nodded her head. "I think I'd be a vampire. They sound cool."

Kakashi nodded. "I'd be a witch."

Rose snorted on her laughter, and practically broke down. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Witches are girls, wizards are boys."

Kakashi shrugged. "Well, considering they have green skin and black cats..."

Rose's eye twitched. She did not have green skin and she did not own a cat. "How rude..."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing," Rose said quickly, before asking him another menial question this time about super powers. The next few hours stayed the same as this, Rose and Kakashi playing a random game of twenty questions.

By the time that they left the food place, Kakashi was asking questions as well. Rose had found out that Kakashi, was an alright person.

Kakashi had figured Rose completely out, and he wasn't sure if he should keep her at arm's length. Of course she amused him to a degree, but everyone he got close to died. Did he want to sentence Rose to death?


	9. Chapter 9

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Nine,**_

_**Uzumaki**_

"Haku," Rose said slowly as she seated herself on Haku's new red two seater couches. "Can I ask you something?"

Haku slowly put down the wooden spoon he had been making breakfast for himself and Rose with. "Yes, Rose-Sama?"

Rose carefully looked away from Haku and decided to look at the golden brown of the wooden roof that was in Haku's apartment. "Do you know how much longer it's going to take you to master the – you know, _contract_?"

Haku sighed slightly, not turning around to look at Rose, instead choosing to stare at the inside of the pot. "I am unsure Rose-Sama. We have not as of yet progressed that far into my training."

Rose glanced at the tense boy that stood by the small stove, cooking rice with a bright pink pot... Why it was pink, Rose would never know. But Haku had chosen it... "If you had to guess...?"

Haku picked up his spoon and stirred the rice again. "If I had to guess Rose-Sama... I would say about one month."

Rose's shoulders slumped as she thought about that, she had to go another month. It wasn't that Rose didn't mind staying there, it was just the fact that her world was being threatened by an evil dark lord that only she could kill. Plus, she really did want to get to kill him soon.

Rose felt slightly depressed about that. How many people was she letting down by being so slow? How much time had she already wasted?

"I am sorry, Rose-Sama," Haku said in a low solemn voice.

Rose forced a weak smile, in an attempt to make Haku feel better. She didn't want to share her depression. "It's fine Haku, really. Just keep on marching on and all that!"

"...Alright then, Rose-Sama, as you wish."

Rose felt a phantom smile appearing on her lips. "You don't have to add the –_Sama_ on the end of my name you know?"

"Yes, Rose-Sama. Rose-Sama, I must leave now, and go to training." Haku was suddenly in front of her with a bowl of rice in his hands. Rose slowly took it off him.

"Oh...Okay, Good luck then, Haku."

"Thank you, Rose-Sama." With that Haku fled though the front door, and to his training with the scary purple haired woman that Rose still wasn't sure of.

Rose stared at the bowl of rice for awhile, lost in thought. She didn't even notice Hermione wake up and enter the room.

"Rose? Are you just going to stare at that bowl?" Hermione asked in concern for the black haired girl.

Rose's head snapped up in the direction of her brunette friend, taking the girl – with all her wild curls in. "Hermione, is that you?"

Hermione rolled her eyes in expatriation. "Yes, who were you _expecting_?"

Hermione said this as she sat down across from Rose in a green single couch seat. Haku... had some odd taste in furniture... This much was apparent by the rainbow pillows on each couch... Or the neon dining table...

Rose shook her head. "We have to wait at very least, another month to get to the snake, to get to old Tom... To get back _home_."

The easy smile left Hermione's face, to be replaced with one of worry. Not about the time wait they had – but for Rose. "Rosie... I think we _need_ that month."

Rose looked at Hermione blankly. "We're in the middle of a war, we can't afford it."

Hermione sighed loudly. "Rose you really do have a one track mind... No wonder you and Ron are such good friends..."

Rose's eyes narrowed at Hermione... Off topic, anyone? "I don't think that's an issue here, though."

Hermione smiled. "I guess that's just you... Rose, while we wait – we can relax. Seriously, this is coming from me. We've been through so much already... Don't you think we could use a little time to just... be teenagers?"

Rose looked at Hermione wearily. "Who are you, and what have you done with Hermione?"

Hermione snorted and rolled her eyes. "Funny, really funny, Rose. I was thinking about our money problem... and, I was talking with Iruka and he told me the gallon would go really far in a gold shop."

Rose just looked at Hermione in surprise. "...Wait... Why were you talking with one of our guides?"

Hermione's cheeks turned pink.

** ~ !#OO!**

Rose handed one of her many gallons over to the man behind the counter. Ron and Hermione on the other hand were very interested in browsing what the gold seller had to offer... Ron, was more interested in the other stalls but...

"Hmm," The old man said turning the gallon over and looking at the tiny inscription. "These are very interesting... Where did you get these from again?"

"I inherited them... My... Grand-father had a hobby of making them... No one knew what he did with them..." Rose lied easily.

"Indeed," the man said not even looking at Rose. "These will be worth quite a bit... Even with these strange markings on them... You wouldn't know what they would mean do you?"

Rose just smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "That my grandfather was crazy?" Rose offered.

The old man smiled wirily, but had the look of a greedy person. "How many do you have?"

"A bit... How much are they worth?" Rose countered, being cautious.

The man looked around before scribbling a number onto a piece of paper. To be honest Rose didn't even know if that was a fair price...

"That seems to be awfully low. You wouldn't cheat a young, pretty girl would you?" A low, familiar voice said craning over Rose's shoulder.

Rose jumped and spun around wildly, and looked for Ron and Hermione, who were both at stall further down in the road. Rose looked at the person who had talked it was... Kakashi and he were smiling at the gold dealer with warning.

"Ah – Ah, of course not, but I, ah, need to make a slight profit you see..." The man said stuttering slightly, a bead of sweat rolling down his face.

"Oh of course!" Kakashi agreed. "But... This is pure gold, that should be easily _triple_ that price."

Rose had finally managed to compose herself again. "You! What, why are you here... How?"... Or maybe not as much as she hoped she'd be.

Kakashi smiled at Rose. "I saw you and thought I'd come and say hi."

Rose looked at him like he was slightly insane – who knew, he most likely was.

"Oh... Well then carry on," Rose muttered as Kakashi went back to haggling on her behalf... She could have easily done that herself... But then again... She really didn't know a fair price when she saw one...

Ten minutes later, Rose had gotten over double the amount she had been originally offered per gallon. So Rose decided it was time to find Ron and Hermione, Kakashi had decided to tag along with her for unknown reasons.

"I could have done that myself you know," Rose said stubbornly.

Kakashi smiled at her, his one visible eye forming an upside down U. "I know... You did look like you could use some help."

"I had it under control," Rose insisted.

Kakashi smiled under his mask... his mask... She could try to see if he'd take it off... But then again, wouldn't that be really rude of her?

"Do you ever take it off?" Rose asked, curiously.

"Hm?"

"The mask," Rose clarified. "Do you ever take the mask off?"

"No."

Why not?" Rose pressed, intrigued.

"Because."

"Because, why?" Rose asked again.

"I feel like it."

Rose huffed annoyed and Kakashi smiled happily.

#$

"Salt ramen," Rose said as the waitress approached her. She was in her depressed mood again... And her new-found favourite food was going to help her out...

A few minutes later a steaming bowl of noodles was placed in front of Rose and Rose began to slowly eat it.

A month. If Rose really thought about it, she figured that it really wasn't that long of a time. It seemed long, but maybe it was because she didn't actually have anything to do in that time?

She'd wasted months in the tent anyway...

"Rose-Chan!"

Rose felt something tumble into her side giving her a hug, Rose looked down to see a head full of sunny blond hair.

Rose smiled slightly. "Eh- Hello, Naruto, what's going on?"

Naruto moved his face to give her a smile just as sunny as his hair. "Ramen!"

Rose laughed slightly and before Rose knew it, Naruto had a bowl of ramen too, and was talking about something of his training... Rose wasn't paying too much attention...

"...And then I told him that – and then, Sakura-Chan said..."

Rose smiled into her noodles... There was something about Naruto... Not that mysterious red aura she'd seen when she first meet him... He seemed to draw people to him, and make them... For lack of better word happy.

That was when Rose noticed that Naruto had a massive hole down the side of his jumper.

"Naruto," Rose said, interrupting whatever it was that he was saying. "How'd this happen?"

Rose looked intently at the huge hole as Naruto moved his arm in surprise.

"Oh this? Sasuke-Teme... won our last battle..." Naruto moaned.

Rose raised her eyebrow. "Why haven't you got your mum or something to have fixed it yet?"

Naruto looked down dejectedly. "I... don't have parents."

Rose's eyes widened. "Oh... Neither do I," Rose said seeing the boys upset face.

Naruto's gaze snapped to Rose and Rose nodded her head.

"We're the same..." Naruto muttered and then smiled at Rose.

"I can try and fix it if you want...?" Rose said trailing off; full well knowing that the only way she'd fix it was with some good old magic.

Naruto gave Rose a watery smile. "Really? Rose-Nee-Chan?"

Rose smiled widely... What was she doing? Was she really taking under another orphan? There must be something in the water...

"Yeah," Rose said noticing that Naruto had run out of Ramen. "Hey kid, want another bowl?"

Naruto ginned. "Always! ONE MORE SALT RAMEN OLD MAN!" Naruto yelled on the top of his voice.

Rose grinned. "One for me too!" Rose called out.

"You like Salt Ramen.. Nee-Chan?" Naruto asked happily.

"It's my favourite," Rose answered.

Naruto's grin increased if that was at all possible. "Me too!"

!## !

The third Hokage of Konoha sat in his seat in his office, staring at his Chunin instructor at his genin academy with contemplation. On the desk in front of him sat a seemingly harmless gold coin, with very strange markings around the edge.

The aged Hokage sighed; he swore that he'd seen this exact coin somewhere before many years ago... In the possession of two young red-haired trouble-makers...

"This came from the three travellers?" The Hokage asked his voice serious as he took a puff on his pipe.

"Yes, Hokage-Sama, Hermione-Chan gave it to me."

The Hokage chose to ignore the honorific that his ninja had bestowed upon the girl. It wasn't his placed to get involved in the matter. "Are you aware of where they came from?"

"I – no I am not, Hokage-Sama."

The Hokage sighed, loudly. "They seem very vaguely familiar..."

"I apologise, Hokage-Sama," Iruka said bowing his head.

"No," The third said nodding his head. "You have done what I asked you to, good job Iruka-Kun."

"Sir, if I-" Iruka's question got cut off by a loud knocking on the door.

"In a moment Iruka. Come in!" The Hokage said.

The door slid open to reveal Hatake Kakashi. Kakashi walked in looking as bored as ever. "I'm here to give my monthly team report?" Kakashi drawled.

"About time," The Hokage grumbled. "You skipped the last two months! You haven't _ACTUALLY_ attended a single one!"

"Ah," Kakashi said as he rubbed the back of his head. "I was uh – busy?"

The Hokage easily brushed him off with a piercing look that made Kakashi slightly uncomfortable as he shifted slightly.

"Kakashi-Kun, have you ever seen a coin like this before?" The Hokage asked ignoring the fact that Kakashi was meant to be giving a report.

"Yes sir."

"Where?" The Hokage demanded.

"Rose, was in possession of multiple coins like this," Kakashi answered with a brief hesitation.

"I see," The Hokage said rubbing his chin. "Did she tell you where they came from?"

"I believe that she inherited them," Kakashi responded slowly, hesitantly.

The Hokage nodded, ignoring his best ninja's hesitance to answer his questions. "They seem very familiar... Do you remember anyone having these coins before those three came, Kakashi-Kun?"

Kakashi thought on it for a moment before glancing at Iruka for a few seconds. Kakashi focused his gaze at the innocent gold coin, with very strange markings when a thought struck him.

"... Sensei's girlfriend had these, I remember," Kakashi said his eyes widening.

The Hokage smiled grimly. "I thought so... I believe that she used them as a medium in Justus... Kakashi..."

"Yes Hokage-Sama?"

"Would you recall the appearances of any of the people you met in wave?" The Hokage asked his eyes careful.

"What is it that you need, sir?" Kakashi asked.

"Colouring will do."

"Yes sir. Ron has red hair and blue eyes. Rose has black hair and green eyes. Hermione had brown hair and brown eyes."

"I see... Kakashi do you remember the clan that heavily had red hair and green eyed people among them?"

"Y-yes sir, do you think that, maybe, Ron and Rose could be from _that_ clan?" Kakashi asked.

The Hokage nodded his head. "Hermione-San could be too, for all we know. Those colourings aren't mandatory. Plus those coins..."

Kakashi hesitated again. "Do you think...?"

"That they came for Naruto?" The Hokage asked his eyes set grimily.

"Wait, what? What does this have to do with Naruto!?" Iruka said alarmed. "Why would those three be here for Naruto!?"

The Hokage looked at Iruka and Kakashi seriously. "I need you two to keep a close eye on our friends, and especially Naruto and any connections he makes with them."

"Yes sir," Kakashi said bowing his head, his eyes troubled – but he knew better than to question the Hokage on this one.

"Why sir?" Iruka questioned, not fully understanding what was going on at all.

"Because," The Hokage said seriously. "The Uzumaki clan has returned to Konoha."

Iruka's brown eyes widened. "And Naruto... Is an Uzumaki? But he doesn't have red hair _or_ green eyes... I thought he was given that name in honour of...?"

The Hokage looked at Iruka searchingly. "Naruto Uzumaki is from the Uzumaki clan... We thought he was the last one alive but..."

"The last of the Uzumaki have come out of hiding," Kakashi finished his voice betraying his shock for once.

The Hokage nodded his head, Iruka's eyes widened.

The Uzumaki were back. And who knows what they'd do.


	10. Chapter 10

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Ten,**_

_**Hypocrite**_

Rose Potter was bored. When Rose Potter was bored, things started to happen, usually bad things. But unfortunately for Rose, there was nothing for her to do here and therefore in accordance to the rule, something had to happen.

Rose, really was just waiting for something to happen. She knew that she really wouldn't have to wait a very long time.

"We have finished our youthful laps my youthful student!" A yell sounded from behind Rose, and before she could even turn around, she got knocked over.

"I'm so sorry, Gai-Sensei! I knocked down a youthful lady!" Another more boyish voice yelled.

Rose turned around to see two people she assumed had to be father and son. They both had black hair, styled in a bowl haircut. They both had dark eyes and these horrifying green jumpsuits. Rose connected the outfits with people who cleaned sewers.

Except that they were ninja.

"Lee!" The older man yelled, hitting the boy on the back of the head – sending the boy flying, much to Rose's bewilderment. "Apologise!"

"I'm so sorry!" Lee cried getting to his feet and throwing himself at Rose. Rose dodged and the boy kept flying.

"I'm sorry for my wayward student, Lady!" Gai yelled dramatically. Rose kind of felt cornered... She really should have just stayed at home...

"It's okay," Rose said slowly, standing up.

"Lee! As your punishment you have to do another 500 laps around Konoha!"

"Yes, Gai-Sensei!" Lee yelled before he ran away in a cloud of smoke.

Rose looked at the kid with surprise. "...Isn't that a little bit too much...?"

"Never, my Lady! My eternal rival and I do thousands of laps at a time!" Gai said giving her a wide smile, which most likely turned her blind.

"Er – right... Wait, _eternal rival_?" Rose said confused.

"My eternal rival, Hatake Kakashi! We battle to see who is the coolest; our tally is now at 50-51 in his favour!" Gai said with an air of almightily despair.

"Er- Right," Rose said. Kakashi was friends with this... uh, nutcase?

"I am Might Gai! What is your name young flower?" He asked, with Rose would assume would be charm.

"Um, Potter Rose? It's nice to meet you?" Rose asked sounding confused.

"Rose-Chan, you are the most beautiful flower that I've seen today!" Gai continued to yell gaining the attention of people around them.

"...Sure?" Rose didn't even know what he was saying...

"Alright, Gai, time to leave the _young lady_ alone," A voice the belonged to another ninja said. This one had short black hair, and was slightly chubby; he also had a smoke dangling from his lips.

"But!"

"I hear Kakashi wanted to challenge _you _before," the man bribed.

Gai's eyes lit up. "I will see you, young flower. For now, I must go challenge my eternal rival!" With that, Gai ran down the street picking up a dust cloud.

Rose stared after him in amazement, before she turned to the other ninja. "Ah, thank you?"

The man smiled. "No problem. If he ever gives you a problem, just tell him Kakashi's looking for him... It's all we do."

Rose just nodded her head. "I see."

"And don't worry about Kakashi either... He can take care of himself."

Rose nodded her head dutifully, feeling very confused. "Er – but, alright. Thank you."

The man waved her off much to Rose's bemusement. "It's alright. You ever need help with him though, just ask me... When he gets stuck on someone..."

Rose looked at him with wide eyes. "When he gets _stuck_ on someone?"

The black-haired man grinned. "Well, ten years ago Kakashi didn't pay attention to him... And he still won't leave him alone... I could introduce you to him if you want?" He said this with a wink.

Rose blinked. "Uh... I know him already?"

Black-haired guy laughed and stuck out his hand. "The name's Asuma."

Rose smiled even though she was majorly confused. "Potter Rose."

**%^&*()_)(*&^**

"There's no use in this!" Rose huffed angrily.

Ron huffed annoyed. "There is always a point in strategy, Rose!"

"How is chess strategy?" Rose yelled back throwing her king at a wall.

"Hey! These are expensive!" Ron said, as he got up to pick another piece up.

"I'll buy you a new set," Rose almost yelled.

"Oh, because you're so rich!" Ron said snappily.

"Face it, I am bloody rich!" Rose almost screamed before she walked out of Haku's apartment with a huff.

It wasn't her fault really. She was just very stressed about the wizarding war and the fact that she was doing nothing.

Rose huffed as she walked down the street, where was she going? She had no idea. She just wanted to calm herself down – she just wanted to kill Voldemort and go back to her perfect little life.

Why could nothing ever be easy?

"Pretty flower!"

Fuck.

Rose started to walk a smidge bit faster, the conversation she had been having with Asuma still stuck in her head. She would not become someone else's obsession. She was still trying to get rid of the first one that was hell bent on killing her.

Then suddenly, in front of her was Gai standing slightly bowed with a rose in his hand. "A rose for a Rose!"

Rose sighed; she couldn't keep track of how many people thought this was a good pick up line back at Hogwarts. Just saying, it really wasn't.

"Er-"

"Rose-San!" Asuma said clearly amused walking up towards the scene with a black haired woman next to him. "I wondered where he ran off too."

"Er-"

The black haired woman smiled in sympathy. "Oh, so your Gai's new obsession?"

"I'm not obsessed! I am in love!" Gai shouted to the sky.

Rose gaped; this place was full of crazy people.

"Ah, you've known her for a day, Gai," Kakashi's voice sounded from nowhere.

Rose felt Kakashi's face near hers, and then she realised that he was leaning over her shoulder. His hands stuck in his pockets.

"My eternal rival! Do you know my lovely flower!?" Gai cried pointing dramatically at the two of them. Rose was just glad that the street was practically deserted.

"Why yes I do." Rose could hear the smile in his voice. Rose's head hung.

"Why me?" she asked herself.

Gai seemed slightly annoyed. "Then I challenge you to a wrestling match for the love of my flower!"

The next ten seconds were a blur but the two ninja just started to wrestle in the middle of the street. Rose looked over at Asuma and the mystery female, who made their way over to Rose.

"What just happened?" Rose asked the two awkwardly.

"It happens allot," Mystery female said.

Asuma nodded his head in agreement. "The last girl they 'fought' over ran away in hysterics though."

The red-eyed woman smiled at Rose. "Every few weeks, Gai will find his new 'youthful flower' and end up challenging Kakashi for her love."

Rose blinked. "That's crazy."

She nodded her head. "My name is Kurenai, if you ever need any help with Gai, just let me know."

Rose nodded her head, her mouth agape. It was strange that so many people were offering their help for dealing with Gai. Rose had had her fair share of fanboys but this was... "Thanks, I'm Rose."

"You're taking this very well," Asuma commented, as Kakashi put Gai in a headlock, only to have Gai throw him backwards.

Rose watched the two fighting men with some sort of fascination. How often did they do things like this? "I've had my share of... fans."

"Hm, that might help you a bit," Kurenai muttered sounding highly amused. "Asuma, is it just me or is this fight going on for longer than it usually does?"

Rose scratched the back of her head.

"Now that you mention it..." Asuma said, gaining an interested look in his eye. The two non-feuding ninja looked at Rose curiously, causing Rose to feel unnecessarily nervous.

Rose uncomfortably watched as the two fully grown men rolled around the floor, trying to see who was stronger. The more time that she spent here the more that she realised that the people here were bat-shit insane.

"This is crazy," Rose muttered under her breath, closing her eyes.

"Well, this is taking too long. Asuma do you want to go, and get them to meet us there? You can come to Rose-San."

Rose opened her eyes, and looked at the two strangely. Asuma nodded his head. "You want to come Rose? You look like you could use a drink."

Rose thought about it for a second, glancing at the fighting men. "Eh – sure."

With that the three black-haired people walked away from the fight and made their way to a place that Rose didn't know.

"What's the legal age to drink here anyway?" Rose asked. It was after all different in every country, or with any race.

"Sixteen," Kurenai responded promptly.

Rose's eyes widened. "It's only sixteen? Jeeze..." But then again, in the wizarding world it was seventeen wasn't it? It wasn't that far off.

Asuma threw Rose a wink. "It's okay; they won't question you if you're with us."

Rose's eye twitched. "How old do you _think_ I am?"

"About fifteen, I'd say."

Rose was about to inform him of her real age when a thought struck her. "Is it normal for a thirty year old to 'love' a fifteen year old?"

The other two ninja paused for a minute but their steps didn't falter. "It's different for us ninja. Age or gender is a word after all," Kurenai responded, sounding like she had never thought of it that way.

By this time they had reached the little cafe place that they were aiming for and Asuma opened the door for them, and they seated themselves in the booth in the far corner of the room.

"That's a bit strange... Although, I'm slightly older than fifteen," Rose responded sounding a bit annoyed that she still wasn't able to pass off as her age.

"You _are_ sixteen then?" Asuma asked.

Rose's eye twitched again. "I'm older than sixteen."

Kurenai blinked as she stared at Rose's face, creeping Rose out slightly. "You don't look a day over fifteen."

Rose's eye twitched again. That was when Rose noticed Kakashi – by himself entering the cafe, walking over to sit with the rest of them.

"Hey Kakashi, you two finished?" Asuma greeted him.

Kakashi nodded his head cheerfully, as he sat next to Rose. Asuma and Kurenai already sitting next to each other.

"Where's Gai?" Kurenai asked, without a hint of worry really.

Kakashi hummed. "Mourning over his loss, he'll be here soon enough."

"Hey Kakashi, how old is Rose?" Asuma asked, pausing briefly to talk to the waitress that had just appeared.

Kakashi looked at Rose for a second. "She's twelve."

Rose's eye twitched and she couldn't help but slap the back of his head. "You know that I'm not twelve!"

Kakashi smiled, and had a mock innocent aura about him. "Ten then? I was only trying to talk you up."

"I'm not ten you old man!" Rose fired back.

"I'm not old," Kakashi said stubbornly.

"Your hair tells a different story," Rose retorted.

"I told you my hair was born like that," Kakashi said stubbornly.

"I told you I was seventeen," Rose replied, just as stubbornly.

"...And ten months," Kakashi added on the end. Rose looked at him strangely.

"How did you know that?"

"I guessed. Was I right?" Kakashi asked, seemingly surprised.

"This has had to be the oddest conversation I've heard all day," Asuma said, most likely to Kurenai.

"How'd you two meet?" Kurenai asked, projecting her voice louder, so she could be heard over the other people around the table.

The waitress brought back three bottles that was marked with a few X's. "Here you go." The waitress bowed and left. Asuma took it upon himself to pour the strange looking alcohol out.

"I saved her life," Kakashi said smiling. Asmua snorted.

"I could have handled it," Rose huffed stubbornly.

Asuma assessed Rose with his eyes slightly larger than normal as he handed her a saucer-like cup of 'Sake'. Rose took a sip, and found that it burned her mouth, but not to the degree that fire whisky did.

"Wait, he _actually _saved your life? He's not making that up?"

Kakashi huffed and muttered. "No faith in me, really."

"Well, I _technically _helped save his life after that," Rose muttered, finding that she liked the taste of this new drink.

"Interesting way to meet."

Rose nodded her head, and asked for more sake.

"You might want to be careful with that stuff, it's quite strong," Kakashi warned, sounding slightly worried as he slouched back into his seat, not touching any of the Sake – and Asuma didn't offer him any.

They must do this often and Kakashi just must not drink.

Rose snorted. "This has nothing on fire-whisky, nothing."

"What's fire-whisky?" Asuma asked sounding interested.

Rose smiled, momentarily wondering about what she should say before she settled on the truth. "It's alcohol from where I'm from; it's really quite common, not so much so here."

"Where are you from, Rose-San?" Kurenai asked, pouring her more sake.

That was when Gai appeared. "Hello my friends! I have come back from the brink of despair! My eternal rival may have won the match but I will win my flowers heart!" he declared before sitting down on the other side of Asuma.

Rose gaped.

"There there, here have some Sake," Asuma said seemingly bored with the declaration. How often did he declare these things?

"So you were saying Rose?" Asuma said, ignoring Gai who was basically jumping out of his seat.

"Um, it's a place called England."

"I've never heard of it before," Kurenai admitted, sounding intrigued.

"It's pretty far away from here and it's always cold too."

"It's okay my flower, I can warm you up!" This was said with a coy smile and a sly wink.

"Be quiet Gai," Kurenai said.

Rose felt very nervous; she never had a fan boy who was so... up front. Fred had been, but then again, Fred had also been her boyfriend.

As the night wore on, all of the black haired occupants at the table got progressively more and more drunk, talking about stranger and stranger topics.

One of the things that stood out to Rose was when Gai – who seemed to get more lewd the more he drank – which she was assured that he wasn't normally like that. That Kakashi put his arm around Rose's side and refused to move it, it was strangely nice for Rose.

All in all – it was a strangely nice night.

**! #R%*I(*&***

Rose opened her eyes to a killer headache, and a ceiling that she didn't recognise.

"Oh shit, Hermione is going to kill me," Rose told the couch that she had been sleeping on.

"I doubt that."

Rose flung herself off the off-beige couch and looked at it in horror, had it just answered her!?

"I'm over here Rose."

Rose looked over her shoulder to see Kakashi lounging around on a separate couch, looking at her amused.

"Huh? What? Where am I? ...and why does my head hurt?" Rose muttered, wincing at the pains in her head.

"My house, and I'm assuming your hangover," Kakashi replied, amused as he passed Rose a small white pill that Rose took without any hesitation. "You didn't want water with that?"

Rose shook her head, only to stop because of how much it was hurting. Rose looked around the practically bare apartment.

"Why am I here? And not at Haku's?" Rose asked confused.

Kakashi hummed as he sat back down. "No one was there, so I took you here."

"Ah, thanks, I guess."

"No problem, although I did warn you," Kakashi said with a smile. Rose winced at his bright voice.

"Shut up."

Kakashi laughed lightly. "I must say though, you can really hold your drinks."

"Of course I can," Rose said trying to sound superior. "I'm Potter Rose!"

"Are you Potter Rose?" Kakashi asked, seemingly innocent.

"Why yes, yes I am – wait, technically it's Rosemary."

"Well then _Rosemary_," Rose winced. "I have to ask you a few questions."

Rose blinked, and massaged a point on her head. "If you call me Rose, then I'll answer anything."

Kakashi smirked. "Alright, Rose, I was wondering... Who you got your eyes from? I swear I've seen that exact shade of green before."

Rose resisted the urge to roll her eyes – no one that could be related to her that was for sure. "My mother."

"What did she look like?" Kakashi pressed, curiously.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Apparently a lot like I do, but with red hair."

Kakashi's eyes widened.

** )#)(# )#( **

Rose tried to sneak into Haku's house later that day when she was sure that nobody would be there – she didn't want to be questioned about her lack of being there.

"You know when I said to relax, I didn't mean disappear and not tell anyone where you're going."

Rose winced and turned around with a sheepish smile to see Hermione sitting on Haku's couch, not looking at all impressed.

"Where were you?" Hermione asked, with her eyes narrowed.

"Uh, hanging out with Kakashi?" Rose said not meaning for it to come out as a question.

"You two spend a lot of time together," Hermione noticed.

"Yeah well, so do you and Iruka – yes, I noticed." She added on the end when she saw Hermione's surprised look.

"That's well different," Hermione defended.

"How so?"

"You seem, more attached. You do realise that we have to leave eventually?" Hermione asked.

Rose snorted, not being in a very open mood because of the hangover that she was still trying to get over. "I'm less likely to get attached than you."

Hermione rolled her eyes, and flicked the page of the book that Rose just realised that she had. "Don't you see Rosie? You are already attached."

"And you're a hypocrite."

** $(&$(&$ ($ **

"Kakashi-Kun, what have you managed to learn about their families?" The Hokage asked one of his most loyal ninja.

Kakashi hesitated, and looked at the floor with a troubled expression before responding. "Ron has a large family of red-haired people; they are very nice but very poor. I got no indication of any of them being remotely Uzumaki."

The Hokage nodded his head sagely. "What about Potter-San?"

Kakashi farrowed his eye brows, and felt like he was betraying the woman slightly. "Rose's family is different. Her mother fits the perfect mould of an Uzumaki. She had red hair and green eyes; she has seen to excel with studies. Rose herself has the usual Uzumaki obsession with Ramen – more importantly Salt ramen... And she has admitted that her family had been... killed."

The Hokage sighed deeply. "I see Kakashi, good work. How do Rose and Naruto interact?"

Kakashi's shoulders dropped slightly. "Naruto refers to Rose as 'Nee-Chan' and they seem to be gaining a relationship that would suggest the same."

"And yours, Kakashi-Kun?"

Kakashi suddenly looked up at the Hokage, not sounding slightly troubled as he spoke the next sentence. "My what? Hokage-Sama."

"Relationship with Potter-San, what is the nature of it?" The Hokage asked, he was making various plans for his problems and his selection was based solely on Kakashi's answer. Normally he didn't interfere with his Ninja's personal lives... But, this was about Naruto.

"Um," Kakashi said, the tips of his ears going slightly red. "How is this relevant Hokage-Sama?"

The Hokage opened one of his draws and pulled out a tobacco pipe. As he was lighting it he said, "It is actually very relevant, answer the question, Kakashi."

"We are friends, Hokage-Sama."

The Hokage nodded, had he been reading too much into Kakashi reactions to giving away so much information on Potter? "I see."

"Hokage-Sama?"

"Tomorrow, the chunin exams begin. At exactly twelve I want you to bring Potter-San to T&I."

"Hokage-Sama," Kakashi protested. "Is that really necessary?"

The Hokage paused; perhaps he hadn't been too far off the mark. "I assure you Kakashi, that she will not be harmed. You can even watch. We just need to know if Naruto's safety is secure."

"But Hokage-Sama..."

"Are you questioning an order Kakashi?"

"No sir," Kakashi responded instantly.

The Hokage sat back in his seat. "I'm sure you're aware of the group that is after people like Naruto? We just have to be sure Kakashi. Dismissed."


	11. Chapter 11

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Eleven,**_

_**Let's call him 'Tom'**_

Rose looked around nervously, and questioned exactly why she was in an interrogation room. To the best of her knowledge she hadn't let anything that bad out. Perhaps the Hokage was just paranoid, or maybe it was all about Haku. But really was any of that an excuse to be there?

Rose didn't know, but Rose trusted Kakashi enough to not to get her killed. He wouldn't let her get killed _right_? Rose knew that he wouldn't lead her into a potential death trap but still...

Rose's head snapped to the blonde haired man who walked in though the door with a friendly smile. He didn't seem too bad at least... Slowly like he was trying not to scare her, he walked over to the table that Rose was seated behind and took the seat in front of her.

It was kind of like an interrogation room from one of Dudley's muggle movies. Hell, it even had that screen that people could watch the proceedings behind. Rose wondered who was there...

The Hokage most likely but would anyone else be there? Would Kakashi be? Who else would be watching the proceedings? Someone that The Hokage would trust, that was for sure.

"Hello, my name is Yamanaka Inoichi," The blonde haired male said with a gentle smile, and an open face.

"Er- Hello."

"Do you know why your here?" Inoichi asked his voice taking on a informal tone.

"Um, no not really. Actually why _am_ I here?" Rose asked with honest confusion as she looked around trying to place herself. Could she apparate at a moment's notice out of there?

"Well, Potter-San, we are here to look at your family... And you're connection to one Genin Uzumaki Naruto."

"My family...?" Rose asked with a growing horror before she got a puzzled look on her face. "Naruto? What about Naruto? Why is Naruto important?"

Inoichi hummed his smile never fading. "You don't need to worry about that. I just need permission to look though your memories."

Rose threw herself back, standing with her back straight, her eyes flickering to the door before her eyes settled on the mind reader. There were easier ways out.

"Calm down, I'll only look at the memories of your family."

"Why?" Rose said a slight amount of panic in her voice. "My family isn't very interesting really. Dead boring."

"I'm sorry; Potter-San, but you actually don't have a choice. The Hokage has demanded it." He did genially seem sorry.

Rose sat back down on her seat, her emotions – her panic written on her face. "You don't want to – I'll tell you whatever you need to know."

Inoichi shook his head, has face full of a frown. "I'm terribly sorry; this will be easier if you cooperate."

Rose sighed and hid her eyes with her hands, as she rested her elbows on the table. Getting out of here shouldn't be too hard for Rose – actually it should be relatively easy. But if she left than Ron and Hermione would have too as well.

The problem with that was then no one could get rid of that cursed snake. Plus Rose didn't want to leave Haku without anybody, and she didn't want to leave Naruto all alone again.

She really had no choice. Rose tilted her head up and looked the platinum blonde in the eye. "Fine."

"_Lily! It's him, take Mary and go!" the picture was blurry a flash of colours before the picture settled with the slamming of a door._

_They were in a nursery that was obviously for a young girl. The young red-haired green-eyed woman placed the black-haired green-eyed baby in the crib._

"_Ma..?"_

"_Shh, Rosemary, everything is going to be okay."_

_The door burst open and the young woman threw herself in front of the crib – protecting the young baby from any harm. The intruder was a handsome man, who looked to be about twenty years of age._

"_Not Rosemary please! please! Have mercy!" The red-haired woman begged the man. Why did she not fight back? _

"_Stand aside," The man ordered her, his red eyes shining._

"_Please have mercy, have mercy!"_

"_Stand aside, stand aside silly girl!" The brunette said, growing more annoyed._

"_Please not Rosemary, please, have mercy!"_

"_Advda Kadvra!" A green light shot from the mystery man, and hit the red-haired woman straight in the chest. The woman fell forward the light leaving her eyes._

"_Mummy?" The black-haired baby cried._

_The man sneered before shooting the same spell at the young girl, only to have to absorb into her forehead and shot back out at him, leaving nothing but a lightning-bolt scar._

"_What...?" The man gasped before the spell hit him and he dissolved into a pile of ashes. Somehow in this process the house had caught on fire. _

"_Mummy?" the baby sniffed before busting out crying as the house burned down around her. _

**#!#!#!##!#!#!#**

"_Girl! You did this didn't you!?" the voice of a shrill woman yelled. _

_There was a young black-haired girl that didn't look to be over five years of age. Her hair was long, and in messy curls. "I didn't I swear, Aunt Petunia!"_

_They were in a room that was seemingly bare, only a bed and a small dresser – the walls were a soft shade of pink. "Yes you did! The walls were white you freaky girl!"_

_The bony woman's hand came out and slapped the young green-eyed girls face. The girl's eyes filled with tears. "I swear I don't know how that happened!" _

"_You're a liar and a freak!"_

**! #$%^&*()(*^$! #$%&*(**

"_I wish you could come and live with me you know, but Dumbledore won't allow it," A male with shaggy black hair said, he looked like he'd seen far too much in a short amount of time._

_A girl who looked like she could be around thirteen pouted. "But Sirius!"_

_The man laughed as he mused up the girl's short hair. "Now, Dumbledore may be old but he does have the right idea. He's keeping you safe."_

"_The Dursley's suck."_

_The man gave out a bark like-laugh. "Yeah but he's protecting you from Voldemort." _

"_Voldemort shomledemort." _

"_That's my girl!" The man gave Rose a hug. _

** #$%&**

"_Rose?" The vision of a red haired boy and a brown haired girl appeared. _

"_Yeah?" Rose replied bitingly. _

"_We're worried; you're like a sister to us and, well..." Ron started sounding worried._

"_We don't think your handling Sirius's death very well – Even Fred is worried," Hermione finished sounding equally as worried._

"_He's the only family I had left Hermione. And Voldemort took him from me – I swear I'll kill him."_

"_We'll help, you know we will," Ron said with a smile._

"_You will?"_

"_Of course," Hermione added. "We are family."_

"_Yeah, we are."_

"_Nee-Chan? Can you buy me some Ramen?"_

_A black-haired woman turned around to see an orange-wearing blonde boy standing behind her with wide-blue eyes. "Please Nee-Chan? I spent all my money on more kunai!"_

_There was a smirk on the lips of the green-eyed woman. ""Hm, shouldn't you take more care of your money?"_

_The boys head hung. "I guess..."_

_The woman beamed. "It's okay, let's go get some ramen!"_

** #$%^&*()**

Rose opened her eyes slowly, wondering which of the memories the man had seen. She also wondered if they would actually answer anything - Rose wasn't even sure what they were meant to be looking for.

Rose looked at the blonde haired man – only to see his bewildered face. "That was rather intense."

"What were you looking for?" Rose asked, feeling kind of drained – she hated reliving the first two memories – they were kind of personal.

"Your family."

"Well, you didn't look for Naruto at all. Just saying – you're not getting Naruto from memories of my family." Rose replied, gaining some more of her nerves.

"Who was the red-haired woman?" Inochi asked instead of justifying himself.

"My mother," Rose replied sounding pained.

Inochi's face twisted into a frown. "How old were you when that happened?"

"One."

"You still remember...?" Inochi was amazed.

"Well you don't exactly forget your parents getting killed right in front of your face do you?" Rose retorted feeling sore.

"I'm sorry," Inoichi apologised hastily. "Thank you for co-operating. The purpose of this session was to tell your intentions with Konoha and Uzumaki Naruto."

Rose paused for a second. "Why is Naruto so important to all of you, and if he is so important... Why is he treated so badly?"

He tensed. "That's nothing."

Rose simply raised an eyebrow. "Well, did you get what you wanted?"

Inoichi paused for a moment. "No, it was like..."

Rose sat up straight, nervously. "It was like?"

"Someone was there, that wasn't meant to be, watching your memories. But that had to be impossible... Are you alright, Rose-San?"

Halfway through the man's words, Rose's hands fell into her hands and thought hard. Someone that wasn't meant to be there – it couldn't have been her; it was her mind after all. It couldn't be him, because he obviously did that often, plus he had gotten permission.

That only left one person – Voldemort. That brought the question up to why he was going though her mind. And how the hell did he manage to get past her shields... Wait, she had made them weaker to let the man though?

Fuck. Voldemort had been waiting for her to mess up in such a small way? What could she do?

"Rose-San?"

Could Voldemort know where she was though the small clip with Naruto? Where had she been? They had been on a dirt road, but was there any defining qualities? Rose couldn't be too sure but there was one thing Professor Dumbledore had told her before he died... That Voldemort had been one of the smartest students he had ever taught, to never underestimate him.

Rose had to assume that he knew. But, could that even be Voldemort or was she just panicking for nothing?

"Rose-San!?" The voice was starting to sound slightly panicked.

Rose looked up to the slightly to see him looking worried. Rose blinked. "What kind of feeling did you get? Malice? Can you even _get_ feelings?"

The blonde haired man frowned. "More like a desire, a strong desire. It tried to steer the memories into a different direction but I have had much too much experience."

Rose rubbed her eyes with a growing frustration. Voldemort.

"Your reaction suggests that you know who or what I'm talking about."

Rose bit her lip and scratched the back of her head. "That wasn't meant to happen. This is _not_ meant to happen..."

Rose felt happy to know that he hadn't gotten what he wanted, but he got Naruto. Rose's eyes widened with horror. Voldemort wasn't one to ignore something like that. Could he even get here – to Konoha?

"Naruto." Rose shot out of her chair, the seat clanking to the floor behind her, but Rose wasn't paying attention to it.

"What about Naruto, Rose-San?" Inoichi pressed, standing up in a much calmer manner. He looked like he would subdue her if he needed to. Rose rolled her eyes.

Rose huffed. "Naruto needs to be protected. Okay? If someone with no nose – none at all- comes, keep Naruto far _far_ away from him. At all costs, don't engage him either... You'll just die."

"Why would I do that?"

Rose fixed him with a hard stare and then looked at the door debating if she could just walk out... "Because you obviously care about him and if you don't than he will be used as a... let's call it a hostage."

"Why?"

Rose had to keep her temper in to not yell. "You know that man, Tom Riddle who killed my parents and then tried to kill me in that memory? Our minds are linked because he could bloody kill me properly, and by letting you see those memories, you let him in as well. He's the kind of person to use my attachments to get to me."

Inoichi's eyes widened, almost like he hadn't been expecting anything like this. Hell, no sane person _expected _that of all things.

"He will stop at nothing. He will use Naruto, because he knows that I don't leave anyone behind."

"This is quite serious," Inoichi mused. "Why did you come to Konoha?"

Rose turned to the screen and gave it a look. "Hokage-Sama, I would be happy to tell you my full story."

There was a pause, and then another door, this time originating from the screen opened. Rose blinked in surprise – she hadn't expected there not be a door there.

Out walked the Hokage, followed by a long white haired male and Kakashi. Rose almost cursed; it wasn't like she didn't want... Oh well.

"How long have you known we were there? Normal people don't usually know what's behind the screen." The Hokage asked seriously.

"Since I walked into the room, come on; how idiotic did you think I was?" Rose asked bluntly.

The Hokage nodded his head as he seated himself in Inoichi's seat. "I see Potter-San, this is Jiraiya of the Sannin," He gestured to the old man to his left. "And if you would continue to answer, Inoichi's questions. I'm quite curious to know about the danger that you have introduced to Naruto."

Rose breathed in deeply and had to remind herself that now wasn't the time to mouth off at the ruler. She did that way too often.

"What do you want to know?" Rose's voice was flat, bored.

"Why are you in Konoha?" Inochi started seemingly surprised.

"For Haku... _And_ because we need him to master the Snake summoning contract. Tom Riddle had done something that is illegal in our community, and it's made him almost immortal."

"_Almost_ immortal?" Jiraiya of the Sannin, interrupted. Rose glared at him.

"He can't die, because he spilt his soul into eight pieces and put it into different objects, so as long as a piece of his soul is still alive – he cannot die."

"That's if you believe in a soul," The Hokage added, with disbelief colouring his voice.

Rose bit her lip. "Everything has a soul. With the power that we wield, anything is possible... The first memory, that was Tom Riddle, you saw him do something that killed my mother." Rose said instructing the last part to the blonde.

"It is true, but it also didn't kill you."

"It did."

"I hate to tell you this. But you're alive." The Sannin added dryly.

Rose tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace. "I am but berley, I did die for a moment - my mother protected me at last minute – I'm alive only because of what she did."

"This doesn't explain why you're in Konoha," The Hokage said, looking like he was interested but wanted to move on the conversation.

"He split his soul – as I was saying into six different pieces. I've been destroying them all – because when they're all gone, he can be killed. There is one piece left other than the one in him. One in a snake."

"You had Haku sign the snake contract and realised that he needed training to use it so you came to Konoha to get him trained?" Kakashi said talking for the first time.

When he said that it made her feel like she was cheating him slightly, she didn't like the feeling – his voice was so flat. "In essence, yes."

"So you were using Konoha for you own personal gain?" Jiraiya asked, with a raised eyebrow.

Rose reluctantly nodded her head. "Well yeah but..."

"Why is Naruto in danger?" The Hokage pressed.

Rose looked at the ceiling not liking where this was going. "Good old Tom might not be happy with his inability to kill me... He has this tendency to kill anyone I get close to. That includes Naruto."

There was a pause before Inochi interrupted. "How many times have you and...Tom? Fought exactly?"

Rose blinked and started to count in her mind. "I dunno, I'd say about five times... Once when I was one, eleven, twelve, fourteen, and sixteen... he tries a lot."

"You tell us this Miss Potter, but, if you are not in Konoha will the threat to Naruto disappear?" The Hokage asked coolly.

Rose shrugged. "He's a stubborn bastard, so I'm not sure. Kick me out if you must – but really – let me kill that snake first."

"What position does this Tom hold in your community?" Jiraiya of the Sannin asked.

"He kind of runs it now, he toppled our ministry," Rose answered feeling quite annoyed over that fact.

"You're going against your ruler?" The Hokage asked, sounding cautious.

"Well, he _is _trying to kill me. And I _do_ lead the resistance."

"You seem so young though..." Jiraiya mused thoughtfully.

"I assure you, I very capable of the task."

"I don't doubt that..." Jiraiya muttered.

"Very well, Potter Rosemary, I degree that you are allowed to stay in Konoha to protect Naruto – I believe that is the best option. You will stay until you are able to move out against 'Tom'." Rose winced, she really didn't like being called Rosemary, or Mary anymore.

"Serious?"

"I can assure you Miss Potter that I am indeed 'serious'," The Hokage responded sagely.

"Er-"

"You can call three others of your resistance to help you plan and to help guard Naruto from any attacks."

Rose blinked owlishly. "Yes, sir."

**$$%%%^TTYLB**

"Okay, okay, so who're we getting?" Ron asked eagerly.

"Not sure," Rose said with an equal sized grin.

"I can't believe the Hokage is even letting us stay in Konoha after all that. Really Rose how do you convince people?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows farrowed deeply.

"I've been asking myself the same thing for seventeen years."

Ron and Hermione cracked up. "Oh, tomorrow, The Hokage said he would get Anko to do the summoning for us. He's going to be mortal again; we can destroy him – all those people."

"We can avenge them," Ron finished.

"Just wait!" Hermione said smiling. "Things are only going to get harder from this."

"The calm before the storm," Rose mused.

"Exactly."

"I'm ready for it – I always have been," Rose said with a small smile. Rose was wondering who Hermione would contact to come down to Konoha and how they'd get here.

...Rose also wondered if she should go talk to Kakashi iron a few things out, he'd seemed pretty distant... Rose didn't know Kakashi that well but... She didn't like him being distant with her when she worked so hard for him to warm up to her.

Rose figured that Kakashi and her were friends of sorts. She would figure something out.


	12. Chapter 12

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Twelve,**_

_**Well, this is awkward...**_

Rose glanced back at Ron and Hermione, and then towards the Hokage and the ninja behind him. This was it. She was finally going to kill the snake. To kill Voldemort. Rose just _couldn't_ wait.

"You got your weapon ready?" Anko drawled, sounding incredibly bored.

Hermione started to rummage around her small beaded bag and Rose bit her lips, her eyes darting to Kakashi who stood behind the Hokage. She'd talk to him once everything was all done and over with.

"Aha!" Hermione muttered happily as she pulled the sword of Gryffindor out of her bag, holding it at an awkward angle. Rose tried to ignore the surprised faces of the ninja. Rose had kind of hoped that Hermione wouldn't draw attention to their magic like that – for the simple fact of; the ninja didn't know about it.

Wordlessly Rose held out her hand for the sword and Hermione passed it over without a second thought. Rose was the best at using the damned thing – she was no master but... She was better than those two were.

Anko nodded her head, a large wicked smile covering her face at the sight of the sword. "Nice," she commented before turning slightly serious.

"Thanks," Rose said with a tight smile. Rose twirled the sword slightly. They were so lucky that they didn't lose the sword to Griphook when they invaded the bank. It was Ron's ingenious plan that kept it – really some of his ideas...

"Let's start then, no? Anko?" The Hokage asked, sounding slightly wary.

Anko nodded her head, and Jiraiya of the Sannin leant forward interested. Anko put her hands together in a strange sign with her hands and declared, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

There was a small puff of smoke and amidst that smoke the figure of Voldemort's last horocrux appeared. Rose felt no hesitation; she beheaded the snake with one swing, no bothering to talk to it. That was it.

For something that took so long for her to achieve – it was over so very quickly. Rose felt happy for a second and she could see the calculating eyes of the four ninja, she could see the smiles of her friends.

Then she felt a sudden anger erupt from her head. An all consuming rage, like someone had just been told everything they ever cared about was dead and then Quidditch was banned. Rose brought her left hand up to clutch her forehead.

Voldemort was pissed. Rose brought her hands down to her eyes and she saw some blood on her hands. Her scar was bleeding. That hadn't actually happen when she destroyed one of these before. Maybe because it was the last one?

Rose felt someone jab at her mental shield, over and over. Unrelenting and giving off the sense of immense anger. He wanted into her mind and Rose was sure the only reason he hadn't was because he was too angry to think straight.

"Rose? You're freaking bleeding!" Ron said his eyes wide. "Hermione... why is Rose's scar bleeding!?"

"I don't know!"

"Rose-San? What is wrong?" Jiraiya of the Sannin said, suddenly appearing in front of her, only to push the hair away from her forehead to examine the bleeding scar.

Rose felt another attempt into her mind – his anger seemed to be growing with every minute. Rose winced and Jiraiya seemed to draw back slightly.

"He's angry, Hermione. He's... not controlling his emotions, he's..."

Hermione's eyes widened. "You don't mean… You-Know-Who?" Hermione asked her voice trembling.

Rose just grunted. "Who is, You-Know-Who?" The Hokage asked, his voice sharp.

"Tom Riddle?" Ron said, hesitating slightly.

Rose hissed in pain, and screwed her eyes shut. Just in case she couldn't completely keep Voldemort out, at least he couldn't see what she was seeing.

"Rose! What's happening?" Kakashi seemed to finally break his vow of silence, his voice wavering.

"They have a connection, and when Riddle gets annoyed… Rose can feel it, it happened when Voldemort failed to kill Rose," Hermione tried to explain, but she sounded like she was panicking. "They can usually keep each other out though. I think he's…"

"Trying to see where Rose is?" Ron added not sounding one hundred percent confident.

Rose grit her teeth, just because he couldn't see, didn't mean he couldn't hear. She really only had one option. "Someone, knock me out."

"No, Rose!" Hermione protested before someone knocked Rose out completely.

**56565675%^&^%&^%675675675**

His eye's were bright red, looking like a snake – he still had no nose, but looked sick. Like he was dying. "Potter, what have you done?" Voldemort sneered.

Rose looked around to see open fields of grass; the only people on the current field was her and Voldemort. Rose wondered if she was sleeping. But then why would she dream of Voldemort?

"Whatever I can to kill you Voldeshorts," Rose replied with her own sneer. "And where are we?"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Rose simply raised an eyebrow as nothing happened. Voldemort didn't look very happy. "Because you asked to knock yourself out, we are stuck here, in the limbo of your mind."

Rose was sure there was a horrified look in her eyes. "Wait, you mean I'm stuck with you?"

Voldemort glared at her. "How did you find out about them?"

Rose grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know, Tom?"

"You dare!?"

"Yes, yes I do. I'm going to kill you, you know? Your mortal now, and you know it." Rose had this I'm-Better-Than-You smile on her face.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed. "You will never be able to beat me, Potter."

Rose rolled her eyes. "I will take everyone you hold dear, and I will kill them all. Let's see what happens then, heh, Girl-Who-Lived."

** #$%^666&&****

There was a loud beeping, loud annoying beeping. Rose opened her green eyes slowly. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the different lighting, wondering about the strange conversation that she had with Voldemort. His promise, to kill everyone that she cared about.

…Rose had to get back, she had to make a plan, and she had to save them all. She just had to. Rose looked around the practically bare hospital room that she was in. Why was she in there?

Had they put her in there after she asked to get knocked out? Rose shrugged her shoulders and sat up, pushing herself off the bed. She found that she was still wearing the same thing that she was wearing when she had killed Voldemort's snake.

Rose stood up and walked towards the door but once she reached said door, she hesitated. Would she be allowed to just leave? Rose had many memories of having to become a stunt doer just to get out of the hospital wing at Hogwarts.

Deciding that she needed to be on the safe side, Rose decided against using the door and walked towards the slightly open window. A normal person would not think to use a window to get out of the hospital, hell, normal people stayed when they were injured. But then again, Rose wasn't really injured.

Rose opened the window fully and climbed out, peering over the edge of the roof to see how far down it was.

"You could use the door, you know that right?"

Rose jumped, and had to grab the windowsill to gain her balance. She turned to see Kakashi leaning against the wall, his small orange book open and rested on his legs. Rose blinked, and paused. "Why are you here?"

"Reading," Kakashi replied with a smile.

"On a hospital roof?" Rose asked with her eyebrow raised, hesitating slightly.

Kakashi shrugged. "Nice view."

"Alright then…"

Rose's eyes flickered to the edge of the roof again, deciding it was probably too far for her to get down without magic

"You might want to go back in and use the door."

Rose nodded her head. "Yeah, I guess."

Rose lifted herself back into the room, soon followed by Kakashi, who had put his book away. Rose looked back at Kakashi, as she approached her door.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked, when Rose put her hand on the door. Rose withdrew her hand from the door and turned around to face Kakashi. He seemed to be perfectly indifferent.

"Yeah, it happens sometimes," Rose replied, turning to face the door again but not making a move to open it.

"Hermione told us, that your minds are linked?" Kakashi asked.

Rose looked to the side. "Yes, I don't exactly know how it happened. But when I was a year old, he tried to kill me and it didn't work and he killed himself instead. We've had this connection ever since. I spent a year when I was fifteen learning how to block him out."

Kakashi made this sound of understanding. "That's a very unique situation."

"Welcome to my life," Rose said with a quirky smile as she opened the door and walked out, fully expecting him to follow her.

"It's an interesting life," Kakashi commented, walking up beside her.

Rose gave a wryly smile. "Not one that I want."

"I can understand that."

Rose's eyes flickered to Kakashi, an she ducked around the corner and walked out of the door. "Hm, Hokae-Sama wants to see you, your people arrived yesterday."

Rose's eyebrows farrowed. "How long was I out for?"

Kakashi looked at her, he seemed to be completely upset for a moment but that moment was gone too fast and Rose wondered if she was just imagining it. "Four days."

Rose's eyes widened drastically. "For that long?"

Kakashi nodded his head. "Everyone was quite worried."

Rose gaped, and they remained mostly silent until they reached the Hokage tower. Then a thought struck Rose. "Who came?"

"You don't know?" Kakashi asked, sounding surprised and alert.

Rose just shook her head. "It's hard to know who gets your message when everyone's spread and in hiding."

Kakashi nodded his head in understanding. "Two red-haired boys, which I believe are Ron's brothers and an older male."

Rose huffed and glared at Kakashi slightly, causing him to chuckle. Rose smiled to herself as the teen girl behind the front desk let them go up to the Hokage's office. "Your being very unhelpful you know that?"

"Yes."

"Your doing it on purpose, aren't you?" Rose asked dryly.

"Yep."

Rose sighed, but had a smile on her face. The door to the room opened and Rose saw the Hokage, sitting behind his desk. There was Jiraiya standing behind him, and there was Remus Lupin and the Weasley Twins standing in front of the desk.

Fred and George looked dead bored, and Remus looked like he was having a serious conversation. Jiraiya looked up and when he saw Rose and Kakashi, his voice broke out into a grin. "Hey, it's good to see you two away from the hospital."

Rose looked at Kakashi, only to see the tops of his ears turn slightly red. Rose decided not to comment on that, but there was a small smile on her face that she couldn't seem to get rid of.

"It's Rosie!"

"Our special-"

"Little chosen one!"

Rose's smile widened. "Fred, George, how many times must I tell you… My name is _Rose_."

"At least-"

"Another ten times," George finished. They both had these large smiles on their faces, leaving no doubt in Rose's mind that these were the real two Weasley twins.

"How's it been guys?" Rose asked in a chipper voice.

"Business is good," Fred replied.

Remus rolled his eyes but had a small smile on his face. "You can catch up later. Alright, what was the first thing that Rosemary Potter told me when we first met?"

Rose smiled, ignoring the amused faces of the ninja. "The names Rose, not Rosemary you old man."

Remus suddenly grinned very wide. "I'm glad you're alive, Rose."

Rose faked a huff. "Now what did you expect, Moony?"

"Something amazing, like always."

The Hokage coughed slightly, causing all of the magic users to refocus on the Leader. "Can we save the reunion for later?"

"Of course, Hokage-Sama," Rose answered without hesitation.

"Have you thought on our deal, Potter-San?" The Hokage asked, gaining confused looks from the other Wizards in the room.

"Of course, Fred and George here will be perfect for making sure that Naruto stays out of trouble, when he gets out of the second task," Rose answered, gaining two indignant looks from the red-haired wizards.

"Hey!" They both started at the same time.

"Shut up," Rose said not bothering to look at them. Fred put his hand over George's mouth and hushed him.

The Hokage eyed them warily. "Are you sure that they are up to the task? Naruto is an escape artist."

"Are we up to the task?"

"Are we up to the task, Forge?"

"The Twins have written the book on the art escape, pranks and being general nuisances," Rose scoffed, ignoring the twins again. The twins huffed and then puffed in pride.

The Hokage seemed to smile. "Then that is settled, I would like to know the full story to what happened when you killed that snake."

"Ah," Rose said tensing slightly. "You see… That um, happens sometimes. Tom and I have this connection, which allows us to see each other's memories and helps us feel what the other feels. We can usually tune each other out though."

"Like when you saved my dads life?" George asked.

"We always wondered how you knew that," Fred added.

"Yeah," Rose added. "That was before I could control what I could see and feel."

The Hokage nodded his head. "I see. Kakashi will tell you when the guarding of Naruto will commence. Dismissed."

"Yes Sir," Rose replied, bowing her head slightly before gesturing for the twins and Remus to follow her from the room. Rose smiled at Kakahsi at the way out, receiving a smile in return.

"Follow me and I'll explain everything," Rose said before anyone could make a single comment.

The entire trip to Haku's apartment was silent, with Fred and George messing with each other and shooting random things they've never seen before with interested looks.

Finally, they reached Haku's apartment, and Rose walked in, only wondering for a minute why the door was unlocked. "Welcome to where I've been for the last few months," Rose said with a smile.

Rose watched the Twins fascination with all of Haku's odd choices in furniture. "Anyone home?" Rose called, only to get Hermione and Ron's heads popping in from in the kitchen.

"Rose, your okay!" Hermione yelled her voice full of joy as she ran and gave Rose a massive hug that almost made her fall over.

Rose laughed. "What did you expect?"

"You were out for four days!" Hermione said with her eyes wide.

"Wait, wait, wait, she was out for _four _days?" Remus asked, his voice hard.

"Hehehe, well you see…"

"Rosemary Lillian Potter! What did you do?"

Rose pouted. "Nothing bad, but, we can now officially kill Tom Riddle soon?" Rose said, but it ended up sounding like a question.

Remus smiled, but then looked stern. "Rose…."

"Moony…"

"Forge…"

"Gred…"

"Shut up," Rose and Remus said at the exact same time.

Fred and George pouted. "Oh woe is me!"

"Woe is our life!"

"I _said _shut up!"

"She has gotten meaner Fordge."

"Yes, yes, she has, Gred."

Rose rolled her eyes again.

**456746578*&^&*^&*78678687**

"It's nice here," Fred commented as he and Rose walked down the shopping street together. More people equalled more food needed; needless to say, they needed more food already.

"Yeah, I really like it here," Rose said with a wide smile. She looked at Fred, Fred the person that she had always loved and thought she would always love. But… She didn't feel like she did. She did of course still love him, but it didn't feel the same.

It scared Rose.

"So," Fred said, pausing awkwardly. Rose could feel it, something she never thought would happen. This was awkward. "Tell me about this Naruto kid?"

Suddenly like a floodgate was open, Rose came out with all these little stories about her time spent with Naruto. And she added the times with his team, his fighting with Sasuke, his crush on Sakura and his habitually late Sensei.

Fred just listened with a growing smile on his face, as Rose got more and more animated. Eventually after they had finished shopping and were on their way back, Rose slowed down – starting to feel slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry, I talked for a bit, yeah?" Rose said with a sheepish grin on her face.

"Na, I missed that, you're blubbering."

With a smile, and great difficulty, Rose huffed. Fred burst out laughing, most likely scaring the wits out of everyone around them.

"AH! Look at this youth! I will fight you for the love of this youthful flower!"

"Oh dear god no," Rose muttered. Fred looked confused and looked around before he got knocked down. "Er, Fred?"

"I'm good," Came his weak reply.

"My youthful flower! How is you day?"

Rose hung her head, but looked at Gai. "It's alright."

"Who are you?" Fred asked quite rudely, pushing himself up from the ground.

"I am Might Gai! The green beast of Konoha, come to win the love of my flower!"

Fred looked at him with surprise. "Hey, Gai, Kakashi's looking for you?" Rose asked.

Suddenly there was a fire in his eyes. "I will go and challenge my eternal rival for the love of my flower!"

Then he was off and running down the street, only leaving a cloud of dust smoke behind. "That guys a little insane," Fred said.

"Like you can talk?" Rose scoffed.

"Eh," Fred answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Different type of insanity Ro."

"There's more type than one?" Rose asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course," Fred scoffed like she was an idiot for even considering it.

"Of course," Rose muttered.

Rose wondered where things would go from here. She wondered if she was going to leave soon, now that her job was done, and over with. She cold just leave and kill Voldemort so that Naruto wouldn't be in danger and she could go back to her happy little life and live it.

Her job would be done, and Haku would have a place to stay here anyway, everything would be fine. Except, Rose didn't want to go, she wanted to stay. Rose knew that she couldn't stay of course it wouldn't be very bright, but she did wish for it all the same.


	13. Chapter 13

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Thirteen,**_

_**Kakashi's book **_

"Fred and George Weasley, I swear to Merlin if you don't give that back to me right now, I'll-!"

"You'll what?" Fred asked gleefully.

"Eat us?" George continued.

"Dismember us?"

"_Disembowel_ us?"

"Oh for the -! Just _shut up_!" Remus moaned trying to massage his forehead.

"Not until they give me my wand back!" Rose snapped, glaring at the two red-haired boys.

"Fred, George," Remus began. "We could be attacked at any minute and Rose is going to need that."

"Mary needs to loosen up a bit," George commented.

"Don't call me that!" Rose yelled at the top of her lungs, as a knock at the door sounded.

"I'm getting the door," Remus muttered as he walked out of the room, leaving Rose to glare at the Twins.

"I'm so scared," Fred mocked with his famous wicked glint in his eye. They were assembled in Haku's lounge room again. Ron was still sleeping and Hermione had disappeared early in the morning saying, 'I have something of importance to attend to.'

"Dreadfully," George agreed.

"I will kill you both, I promise, I will kill you if-"

"Mary, what have I told you about threatening to kill people?" Fred asked with a smirk as Remus and surprisingly enough – Kakashi walked into the room. Rose could already see Remus sighing.

"It's not a threat, it's a promise," Rose muttered, turning to Kakashi. "Can I borrow a knife?"

Kakashi seemed to pause, as if assessing if she was being serious.

"Rose," Remus began reprovingly. "Do not kill Fred and George, no matter how immature they get. Promise me?"

Rose huffed and glared at the floor, her wand somehow had been hidden already. The problem was that Rose didn't know where. "Fine, I won't kill anyone… today."

"Alright then… we have a guest," Remus said motioning at Kakashi. "Hatake Kakashi."

Rose huffed and glared darkly at the floor. "Names Fred, this is George, nice to meet ya."

"What's up Kakashi?" Rose asked, getting out of her darkish mood.

"I've come to get Fred-San and George-San for the shift to look over Naruto," Kakashi stated, sounding bored, but amused. Was that even possible?

"Excellent," George grinned.

"Let's go then!"

"Come Mary~!"

"But I don't-!"

**&^&*^&^^6666677**

Rose rubbed her temple slowly, already having enough of Fred and George – had they gotten worse since she had left? Was that even possible? Rose wasn't sure, but she was glad to have gotten rid of them for a few hours.

They were a handful.

"They're like older versions of Naruto," Kakashi commented, as the two started to walk back to Haku's apartment. Rose still wasn't too sure how she had managed to get dragged along with all of this.

"Twice as difficult to handle though," Rose muttered. "Dead funny… _most_ of the time."

Kakashi smiled, and then looked away. "Hokage-Sama needs to see you," he mentioned, as he turned in the direction of the Hokage's tower.

Rose blinked. "You know why?"

Kakashi seemed to tense. "No."

Rose nodded her head slowly. "Alright then, is something wrong?"

"Hm? No, not really."

The rest of the walk towards the Hokage's tower was done in silence. An uncomfortable silence. Rose really wasn't used to uncomfortable silences with Kakashi – it was sometimes hard for her to remember that they really had only known each other for little over a month.

"Hey, uh, Kakashi, is there any time where we could perhaps… talk?" Rose asked, after a small bit of hesitation, as they approached the Hokage's tower.

Kakashi's eyes slid down to Rose. "I'm going to be training Sasuke, outside of Konoha for the next month."

Rose nodded her head slowly, as they walked in though the first set of doors. "And surprise visitors will be regarded as….?"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "Depends who the '_surprise visitor'_ is."

"Batman," Rose replied with a straight face but Kakashi just looked confused. Rose sighed. Why did nobody ever get her batman references?

Kakashi knocked on the Hokage's door and a deep, 'come in' was heard from the other side. Kakashi held the door open for Rose to enter with. Rose shot Kakashi a smile and entered the room. Kakashi shutting the door behind him.

"Rose-San, I'm glad to see that you came."

Rose nodded her head with a smile. "Yeah, you just have to call… What do you need me for, Hokage-Sama?"

"I'll be honest with you," The Hokage said leaning back in his chair, a serious look on his face. "I want you to take a DNA test."

Rose blinked her face slack with surprise. "What?"

The Hokage sighed deeply. "It has come to our attention that you could be related to one of our ninja. We will only use your blood as a purpose to determine the nature of the relationship."

Rose raised an eyebrow. Rose didn't really feel like telling the Hokage that it was basically impossible for her to be related to anyone here – because she was from a different dimension. But Rose guessed that it didn't matter, and in the long run – how could this even hurt her?

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "If you want, then sure, I guess."

The Hokage looked surprised but seemed pleased with how cooperative she was being. "Excellent, Kakashi can take you to get your blood tested straight away."

"Oh, I just have one question," Rose responded, actually confused for the first time in her life.

"Yes?"

"Who is the ninja?"

The Hokage gave her a piercing stare that frankly made Rose uncomfortable.

"We shall tell you when the DNA results have come back," The Hokage answered finally when he realised that Rose really didn't seem to have a clue about what he was saying.

Rose had to hold back a pout – now really.

**^#&#&&#𕬳**

"That is an awfully big needle. Needle's shouldn't be that big. You know, I don't really care about relations, let's just skip this needle, yeah?"

The needle was massive; it was like, 7 inches long. Nice, silver and deadly looking – Rose didn't want to get killed via needle thank-you-very-much. The Nurse chuckled. "It's okay Potter-San, you won't feel a thing."

Rose made a sound of disagreement. "Yeah, maybe… But maybe we shouldn't take the chance… What do you think Kakashi?"

Kakashi was slumped against the door, almost as if he was cutting the way off, in case she got crazy and ran out of the door. The thought had crossed her mind – as long as the one where she jumped out of the window.

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "Are you afraid of a needle?"

"No," Rose disagreed. "It all just seems much unneeded and -!"

Before Rose could finish her sentence, the Nurse had plunged the needle into her arm, and had drawn the blood in ten seconds flat. Rose gasped. Kakashi and the nurse smiled.

"There all better dear? You can go now."

Rose nodded her head realising that it hadn't actually hurt and walked out of the room with Kakashi not too far behind. A very _amused_ Kakashi not too far behind her.

"You're scared of needles?" Kakashi asked with amusement.

"No, they're just… very sharp looking."

"Don't you usually get over it after the first few times you get a needle?" Kakashi asked amused.

Rose huffed and glared at him. "That was my _first_ needle."

Kakashi stopped walking and gave Rose a hard stare. "You've haven't had your shots?"

Rose blinked blankly. "Shots?"

Kakashi grabbed Rose's upper arm and started to drag her right back towards the Nurse. "Hey, what are you-!"

"You need your shots," Kakashi explained.

"But I'm fine without them…"

"_No_."

**#$%^&^%^&&77777**

Rose rubbed her arm sourly. How many of these shots had she missed out on? One needle might not hurt, but twelve certainly did. Rose felt she was allowed to dislike Kakashi to a degree now…

"Rose?"

"Hm, what?"

Remus sighed and leaned back. "Were you paying the slightest bit of attention?"

"Of course not," Ron answered for her.

Rose huffed. "I felt like the subject didn't need my attention."

"Do you even know what we're talking about?" Hermione asked with exasperation.

"Puppies?" Rose asked taking a wild stab at an answer. Okay, so she really didn't know what they'd been talking about. Sue her.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and Remus sighed. "You say _I'm_ bad…" Ron muttered.

"Rose," Remus reprimanded. "We were discussing what to take back first. The first place we hit is going to be the most important."

Rose shook her head. "Na, the place we strike is going to be the last, and only."

"I don't understand," Ron said confusion in his voice.

"Rose is under the impression that everything will be settled in one fight," Hermione responded briskly.

"If Vol-You-Know-Who and I are there, it's going to be a battle to the death," Rose explained.

Ron nodded his head in agreement.

"I think we should take Hogwarts," Rose said.

"Hogwarts? What advantage would we get with Hogwarts?" Remus asked with scepticism.

"Field advantage?" Ron added in.

Remus shook his head. "You-Know-Who probably has more experience at Hogwarts."

"It's a fortress," Hermione finally said. "Hogwarts is one of the most important landmarks in England."

Remus nodded his head reluctantly. "Hogwart's is full of death eaters, now that Snape is Headmaster… It's not going to be easy to take."

Rose gave a grim smile. "Yes, but we have eyes in Hogwart's as well."

Understanding dawned on Ron and Hermione's faces and they smirked, nodding their head.

"We should move out after the Chunnin exams are finished," Hermione added.

"That's almost a _month_, Hermione," Remus said sounding astounded.

Ron nodded his head slowly. "I can understand that. I agree, Rose?"

Rose hesitated, did she really want to wait a whole month to get back to England. Who knew how many people Voldemort could destroy in a month? A lot. Rose knew this but… "I agree."

Don't even bother asking her for motives. You wouldn't be able to get one. Rose would just mutter something about not wanting to burden Haku..

**( (*(# *989898 !  
**

As quietly as she could Rose tried to sneak up on Kakashi. Who was leaning against a tree, his eyes scanning his small orange book. Seriously. What was in that thing that was so interesting? This had to be his what? Third time r_e-_reading it?

"You're making quite a racket."

Rose pouted briefly, and decided against trying to be stealthy. Rose walked over to Kakashi and sat down right next to him, leaning against the same tree. "I wasn't being that obvious was I?"

Kakashi tilted his head to the side, his eyes not moving away from the text on his book. "I've known you were there for the last ten minutes," Kakashi informed her, as he turned the page.

"And you didn't think to tell me that?" Rose asked incredulously.

"Where would the fun in that be?"

Rose rolled her eyes, suddenly realising that Sasuke was meant to be there. But before Rose could get a word in about the fact that his student wasn't here, he bet her to it.

"He's running ten laps around the field. He'll be back in about ten minutes."

Rose blinked. "How did you know I was going to ask about Sasuke?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I know you."

Rose nodded her head in acceptance. She watched as Kakashi turned another page of his book, and she really couldn't contain her curiosity much longer. "Hey, what is _in_ that book, you _never_ put it down?"

"Nothing interesting really."

Rose turned so she was facing the white haired ninja. "Come on! Let's see."

Rose moved forward so she could grab the book out of his grasp, so she could read the page he was on, but he pulled it away from her hands. Rose raised an eyebrow.

"You really don't want to read that."

"And if I do?" Rose quizzed back.

"_You_ _don't_."

Rose made a noise of disagreement. She wasn't one to quit. Rose nodded her head slowly, and moved her arm back just as sluggishly. Kakashi eyed her warily.

"Why don't you want me to know what you're reading?" Rose probed curiously. "Is it really that bad… Are you reading cheesy romance novels?"

The tips of Kakashi's ears turned red. "Something like that."

Rose huffed. "Please?"

"No."

Rose eyed him slightly before completely backing up. Kakashi seemed to be wary but happy enough to read his book again. That was until Rose pounced on him. Kakashi's eye went wide, and he tried to push Rose back slightly.

Rose smirked. He wasn't getting her to move that easily. They grappled over the book for a few minutes before Rose used a small bit of magic to get the book. Rose back away with a satisfied look on her face, the book in her right hand.

Kakashi looked slightly ashamed. "I was beaten by a civilian…"

Rose waved his book in front of her face. "Yes, yes you were."

But before Rose could open the book to a random page to read, Kakashi was in front of her and snatched the book out of her hands.

"Hey!" Rose exclaimed.

"I'm not sorry."

Rose huffed. "It's the least you could do… You know, he who made me get a _hundred_ needles."

"It was five," Kakashi replied, pocketing his book in the pocket on his chest near his heart. Rose huffed.

"I disagree."

"How did you find me anyway?"

Rose's grin widened. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Kakashi raised his one viable eyebrow. "I need to know just in case anyone else can find us."

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "I doubt anyone else can use my method."

"Humour me," Kakashi responded dryly.

"Magic."

Kakashi chuckled, and Rose's lips twitched. She had technically told him – he just didn't believe her. Not her fault.

"You're not telling me then?" Kakashi asked.

Rose shook her head. "Nope."

As the words left Rose's mouth, a loudly panting young pre-teen stumbled his way into the field. "I am finished Sensei."

"Good. Two hundred push-ups."

Sasuke raised his head to glare at Kakashi, when he spotted Rose. "That's why…" He grumbled.

Rose raised an eyebrow, was Sasuke taking lessons on being cryptic from his Sensei? Rose hung her head.

"I changed my mind. Three Hundred push-ups."

Rose openly gaped at Kakashi, but then she shrugged her shoulders. Realizing it was something that she had to pass off as a ninja quirk.

**$#%^&*777**

"Rose-San… Why are you still here?" Sasuke asked blankly, as the three of them sat around a fire, as Kakashi seemed to be roasting some rabbit.

"Honestly?" Rose asked, getting a nod from Sasuke. "I'm dead bored. We decided not to leave until after the Chunnin exam…"

Sasuke gave her an incredulous look. "Are you serious?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders and offered Sasuke a small smile. "It beats doing nothing."

Sasuke gave her a calculating look. "I really need to train."

"I'm not going to stop you – don't worry."

Sasuke eyed her warily. "_Try_ not to distract Kakashi-Sensei to much."

Rose blinked owlishly. Sasuke sighed haggardly, like he was talking to an idiot, who still wasn't getting what he was saying after half an hour of explanations. "Try not to flirt too much. It's distracting to Sensei."

Rose chocked on thin air. "What!?"

Sasuke looked decidedly uncomfortable. "…Don't make me repeat myself."

Rose blinked her mouth wide open. They didn't flirt… did they?

**#$%^&*(*&^%$%^&*9999**

"Sasuke, spar with Rose."

"What?"

"Wait, what?"

Sasuke looked over at Rose who had been in the process of looking though Kakashi's bag in the process of 'looking for food' when she was really wondering if she had another copy of his book.

"I can't fight a civilian," Sasuke pointed out calmly.

Kakashi shook his head. "You have had to notice that Rose is no ordinary civilian. She has a fighting style just like Gaara; it would be for the best."

Rose nodded her head in understanding. "You don't mind do you, Rose?"

Rose shook her head. "If you tell me what's in that book of yours then maybe…"

Kakashi sighed. Sasuke looked incredulous. "You don't know what's in that garbage-"

Suddenly Kakashi's hand was muffling Sasuke's voice. "We can ignore him."

Rose's lips twitched upwards. "Alright, fine. Are you ready Sasuke?"

Sasuke pushed his teacher away from him. Kakashi wisely backed up. Rose ginned at Sasuke, pausing briefly to wonder what Kakashi thought she could do.

Almost hesitantly – like he really didn't want to hurt her, Sasuke walked forward, a kunai in hand. It was kind of cute.

Meanwhile, Rose pushed Kakashi's bag to the side, but other than that didn't bother moving. Why move when there was no point? Rose had seen Sasuke fight and whilst he had a frightening speed, he couldn't beat Rose.

Sasuke stoped, and he glanced back at his Sensei. Kakashi nodded his head. Sasuke sighed and moved forward with a frightening pace.

"_Protego_," Rose responded, only to see Sasuke rebound off her shield and hit a tree. Rose's lips twitched. She really shouldn't find that funny.

"See," Kakashi said, stepping in stopping Sasuke from getting up again. "You can't just charge though with brute force, Sasuke. The result will always be the same. Just like it was right now."

Sasuke hung his head; a dark glint entered his eye. "I understand Sensei."

"By the end of this month, I want you to be able to avoid Rose's shield."

Sasuke nodded his head with more determination. Rose felt like Kakashi had started something that shouldn't have been started.

**# # # # # 3232332**

"Sasuke?"

"Yes Rose-San?" Sasuke asked dully as he sharpened some of his knives when the sun had gone down, and he had to take a break.

"What is in that book?" Rose had made sure that Kakashi was out of hearing range when she asked that. Mainly because he seemed to be really insistent that she didn't know what was in it.

Sasuke looked around warily. "It's porn."

Rose's eyes widened, and she had to stifle a snort. "Seriously?"

Sasuke nodded his head, his pale white cheeks having a pink tinge to them. Rose couldn't help it – she laughed.


	14. Chapter 14

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Fourteen,**_

_**Invasions,**_

Rose yawned and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she was distantly aware that Sasuke was trying to sneak up on her again. It was the last day that she was going to waste with Kakashi and Sasuke – and Sasuke was determined to get past her shield.

It was actually quite amusing.

Rose waved her hand and her shield went up, just seconds before Sasuke hit the boundaries. Sasuke got thrown back, but he quickly managed to right himself. Sasuke also cursed loudly.

"How do you do that?" Sasuke grumbled loudly.

"Magic," Rose replied dryly. Nobody ever actually believed that she used magic, so it was amusing to use the phrase. When they all thought it was a phrase and it really wasn't.

It made her smile.

Sasuke huffed loudly and punched a nearby tree. Kakashi swung down from said tree. "Hm, it's been a week Sasuke."

Sasuke scowled. "It's impossible, a perfect defence!"

Rose blinked, and figured that she should take that as a compliment from the black-haired boy. "It's far from it actually," Rose added. "It's quite weak."

Sasuke scowled and glared at her. Rose smiled. Kakashi laughed. "A hundred laps for not beating the shield Sasuke."

"But-"

Kakashi just wagged his finger at the boy like he was a dog doing the wrong thing. Sasuke grumbled again, and glared darkly at the man with a dark eye.

Kakashi seemed to find some sort of amusement in that. Sasuke ran off, muttering ways he could kill them all. Rose was quite concerned for his state of mind. If Kakashi made him do anymore laps…

"I think this is called child abuse," Rose mused out loud.

Kakashi just smiled and seated himself next to her. "He's technically an adult."

Rose paused for a moment. "Then it's _student_ abuse."

Kakashi nodded his head. "I won't deny it."

Rose snorted and rolled her eyes. Kakashi settled on his tree branch again, opening his small green book. Rose smiled, this was the first time that he had brought that book out since the first day she decided that she was bored enough to come here.

Rose paused for a second, wondering what his reaction would be if he knew that she knew what was in the book. He had been pretty insistent that she not know what the book contained. It could be very amusing. Rose's grin widened.

"Oi Kakashi, guess what?" Rose called; up in his tree Rose could see his eye dart to her.

"Mm?"

"I know what that book is about," Rose said, her smile widening.

Kakashi's eye widened. "Really? What then?"

"It's porn, isn't it?" Rose asked airily.

Kakashi literally fell out of the tree. Rose burst out laughing, hell, she was practically wheezing. Kakashi eyed her warily. "How did you find out?"

In between her wheezing laughter, Rose managed to choke out the name. "Sas-uke."

Kakashi's eye narrowed and Rose realised that Sasuke was most likely going to be put to a few hundred push up for that… Whoops? Kakashi than rubbed the back of his head, as he watched Rose. Rose was still dying of laughter.

She just couldn't get over that fact that Kakashi, fell out of a tree. He fell. Out of a _tree_. "You're not… _Annoyed_? Disturbed?"

Rose coughed, and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "No, should I be?"

"Most normal women are," Kakashi muttered under his breath but Rose heard it perfectly.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying that I'm not normal?"

Kakashi chuckled nervously. "Um, that's a good thing?"

Rose nodded her head in mock dismay. She wasn't actually very annoyed – or annoyed at all. She knew that everyone had their strange quirks. She most likely did as well.

Rose then got an idea. "I'm very offended by this."

Kakashi's only visible eye widened. "Sorry?"

Rose had to fight to keep the smile off her face. "I will forgive you if… You let me see your face!"

Kakashi rolled his eye, and Rose could see the faint lines of a smile on his face, under his mask. "No."

"Please?"

"No."

Rose shrugged her shoulders, and gave his a mischievous smile. Kakashi shifted slightly. "What are you-?"

Rose pounced again. She really did enjoy doing that too much. Kakashi tried to do a tuck roll away from her but Rose had grabbed his shirt to pull him back, Rose then reached for his mask before he turned into a log of wood.

"Unfair! That's cheating!"

Rose heard mysterious laughing coming from nowhere. "There's no such thing as cheating in this world."

Rose pouted. "Yes there is! Play fair!"

"No."

Rose huffed and looked around the surroundings. Rose's eyebrows farrowed. "Where are you?"

"Not telling."

Rose blinked. "If that's not cheating, then I don't know what is!"

"You obviously don't know what cheating is then."

Rose glared at a tree.

**#%^$&666**

"Rose-San, I think we need to have a conversation."

Rose nodded her head at the Hokage. "That's why I'm here."

The Hokage leaned back in his massive chair, it succeeded in making Rose feel uncomfortable. "Do you remember, by any chance... The blood test I had you do two weeks ago?"

Rose nodded her head, rubbing her arm where she had gotten all of those needles. Bloody Kakashi… "Yeah?"

The Hokage leaned forward and opened a draw; he pulled out a manila folder and placed it on the desk. The Hokage also drew out a tobacco pipe, and lit it. "I have gotten the results back."

Rose nodded her head, without a care really. "Oh, did you get the results that you wanted back?"

The Hokage took a puff on his pipe and gestured to the folder, Rose was unsure about what he wanted her to do. "Take it, I got… My expected results."

Hesitantly, Rose approached the table and grabbed the folder. She held it in her hand for a few minutes, unsure if she really wanted to read it. "Read it Rose-San, we need to talk about the results."

Rose opened the folder slightly; her eyes scanned the first page, her eyebrow raised with every word she read.

_Patient; Potter Rosemary_

_Age; Seventeen_

_Blood Type; O_

_Heath Status; No chakra system detected, immediate hospital recall._

_DNA family search; Clan Uzumaki_

_Next of Kin – In Konoha database; Uzumaki Naruto_

Rose gaped, looking at the small picture of her and the one of Naruto tacked to the side of his name. What the hell? "I think someone has made a mistake here."

"How so?" The Hokage pressed.

"Well," Rose began slowly. "I can't possibly be related to the 'Uzumaki Clan' or Naruto. It's just not feasible."

The Hokage raised one of his aged eyebrows. "The results speak for themselves, Rose-San."

Rose shook his head, her short black hair flickering into her eyes. "No you see, it's actually – not possible. Your test is wrong."

"Are you questioning Konoha's medical unit?" The Hokage asked his voice sharp. Rose went silent. "Why are you in Konoha, Rose-San?"

Rose sighed. "I told you Hokage-Sama. To eliminate a threat."

"I do believe you Rose-San, but, for Naruto's interest, I must make sure you don't have any plans for him."

Rose looked at the Hokage incredulously. "I'm sorry Hokage-Sama, but, I didn't come here for Naruto."

The Hokage tilted his head to the side. "You are willing to have no contact with him, and ignore the blood tie?"

Rose blinked, and looked slightly flustered. "I don't think we are actually related. I mean if I am then… I don't even know who these 'Uzumaki' _are."_

The Hokage stared at her for a few moments. "Rose-San, where are you from?"

Rose blinked. "A place called London; it's very far away from here. So, I don't think you would have heard of it before."

The Hokage sighed, as he rubbed her forehead. "This is very confusing, I must tell you."

Rose paused not sure how she was mean to take something like this. "Hokage-Sama, what is going to happen, sir?"

The Hokage stilled his movements. "I want Naruto to have the benefit of family within Konoha's walls."

Rose nodded her head. "Fair enough, I swear that I won't take Naruto from Konoha's walls."

Now, all that Rose had to figure out was how in the name of Merlin was she related to Naruto of all people. They weren't even from the same universe.

Was that even possible?

_^# &^(* &^(* 8888_

Rose and her other English speaking friends were all sitting side by side, ready to watch the final exam. It would most likely be the last day the majority of them would be in Konoha, and it was a sobering thought for the Golden Three of Gryffindor.

"The first match will be, Uzumaki Naruto Vs. Hyūga Neji!" The examiner – Rose assumed, yelled from the middle of the stage.

Almost in an instant, a blur of yellow mass made its way to the middle of the field. Rose felt herself smile than frown. How in Merlin's name were they related? Rose watched as a boy who could be about a year or two older than Naruto slowly, calmly made his way into the field.

The match began with a single shout and Naruto charged at the older boy without much thought. Rose realised that Neji was a hell of a lot more skilled than Naruto was. Whatever Naruto threw at Neji, got destroyed in a few seconds.

Naruto then summoned around twenty clones, and Rose heard a ninja sitting behind her whistle and mutter, "impressive."

Naruto hid himself in with his clones, but Neji was making swift work with all of them. They stopped to talk about something, but Rose couldn't hear what. Then quite suddenly, the red aura came back.

It wasn't as strong or as deadly as it was last time Rose saw it but it was still that aura. Rose hadn't imagined it. Using the red energy, Naruto managed to knock the older boy out, and create a massive hole in the ground.

"What was that?" Hermione asked Rose, muttering.

"…I am not sure; he's used it before though…"

Hermione and Rose shared a worried look. "Winner Uzumaki Naruto! Next match, Nara Shikamaru Vs. Sabaku-No-Tamari!"

The next match went on with little to no hassle. The blonde haired girl used very strong gusts of wind to fight, and it made it very hard to see half of said fighting but Rose was understanding the gist of it.

The boy could control your shadow, and when he finally had the girl cornered – he forfeited.

Ron was frowning near the end. "He had her in a perfect position, every move - like a master chess player and he what!?"

To say the least Ron was pretty annoyed with the match.

"Sabaku-No-Kankuro Vs. Abureme Shino!"

There was a few words exchanged between the people on the stage and Rose watched at the examiner became more agitated. "Fine! Winner by forfeit is Abureme Shino! Next match is Uchiha Sasuke Vs. Sabaku-No-Gaara."

Rose paused seeing a small red-haired, green-eyed kid on the felid but... There was no Sasuke. Rose kind of hoped that his Sensei's permanent lateness hadn't rubbed off on him... Not that Kakashi was usually that much late – at least, not with her.

The Examiner was starting to get angry again when Kakashi and Sasuke appeared in a swirl of wind and leaves. Rose sighed in relief, he was there now.

Kakashi left the field and then the match started, with Sasuke's response time almost doubled… Was that her fault? Rose felt her lips twitch into a smile. That was when he noticed that Kakashi had managed to appear in the seat in front of her, which she was certain held a person a few minutes before that.

"Yo."

Rose's eyebrows farrowed. 'Wasn't someone else there a minute ago?"

"Nope," Kakashi replied cheerfully.

Rose eyed him strangely. "Are you sure?"

"Yep," Kakashi replied smiling. "How have the matches been?"

"Good, Naruto won his and the blonde girl – Tamari beat Shikamaru?" Rose wondered if he would even care about the second match. "But, why were you late?"

"Well, I had to keep up my student abuse didn't I?" Kakashi asked rhetorically.

When Rose opened her mouth to reply, something made her close it again. There were white feathers falling out of the sky and for some reason – the entire stadium was falling asleep around them. Rose's eyes widened, as Kakashi's narrowed, and dragged her out of the way of a Kunai.

The other magicals were out of their seats in the next ten seconds, intent on getting out of the way of all the flying weapons. The stadium exploded in a sea of noise – which was odd considering half of the stadium was still asleep.

"What's going on?" Hermione yelled.

"Someone is invading," Kakashi answered quietly. "You six need to find cover. Let us handle this."

Rose eyed Kakashi worriedly. She watched as he pulled his forehead protector up to show off his red eye, his body straightening up.

"Where?" Remus demanded.

"No, I'm going to fight," Rose said at the same time.

Kakashi gripped Rose's shoulders and sighed, pushing her towards a group of asleep people. "Get them to safety, Rose. They can't protect themselves; there will be camps and houses opening up soon."

"You knew they would attack didn't you?" Ron demanded.

Kakashi just shook his head. "We're always ready for an invasion, I have to go… Rose… Stay safe."

Rose just nodded her head, and turned her focus to all of the slumbering people in the stands. They needed protecting as well. Rose did not leave anyone behind.

"Ron, Hermione, we use our teamwork skills for this one?" Rose asked.

"Rose," Remus started against. "You need to stay out of this."

Rose shook her head, but Hermione was the one who answered. "We can't."

- 222-

Rose huffed as she sipped some more of her tea. Hermione was fidgeting, nervously paying with the hem of her shirt and Ron just sat there staring off into space. Rose took another sip of her drink.

The Hokage had been murdered, killed in the invasion. It had made them all nervous and kind of upset. Rose was starting to finally realise how intense it was in this place. Rose sighed, they had to leave soon.

Actually, they said they were all going to leave the day after the final task of the exam, but Rose didn't think she wanted to. She wanted to stay.

…For Naruto – he was family, and he was hurting. It couldn't hurt to stay until the funereal could it? Besides, it was the polite thing to do…

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and all three heads snapped up to the door, each of them wondering who it could possibly be.

As Rose made to stand up and put her tea down, Hermione stopped her. "I'll do it, Rosie."

Rose nodded her head, and sat back down. Hermione walked over to the door and she opened it. Rose could still see and hear her from her seat.

"Oh, Iruka! You're alright! Thank Merlin!" Hermione said with a cheerful smile, her shoulders slumping – showing how relieved she was.

"Hermione…"

"Y-Yes?"

What Rose saw next caused her to spit out her drink, his eyes widening. Ron on the other hand burst out laughing, whilst muttering. "Ayame owes me free Ramen for a month!"

Iruka had leaned over the threshold of the door, grabbed Hermione – ignored her wide eyed look – and kissed her. Hermione being the bight girl that she was, gabbed his face in her hands, and deepened the kiss.

Rose could make out both of their red faces, before she looked away; wrinkling her nose and the tea she spilt on the floor before she looked up at Ron who was still laughing.

"Ron?" Rose asked.

"Yeah?" He responded between chuckles. Was this all they needed to get them out of their shock?

Rose smirked. "Who's Ayame?"

Ron chocked on thin air.

**.**

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**A/N – PLEASE READ?**

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**Alright, I know I haven't been the best with updating. I got my mid-year exams soon, sue me. But I've finally managed to get a solid plan out for this. So, I felt like letting you know that there will be about 20 chapters all together, so 6 left, and an Epilogue – because I love those. … That technically makes it 7 more chapters but … eh, whatever. **

**I'll try to update more.**

**Tell me what you want to see happen!**

**Thanks! **

**~Akari-Chan **


	15. Chapter 15

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Fifteen,**_

_**Hostage,**_

Rose was never very good with sad people, actually, she was worse than very bad – she was terrible. She was worse at funerals; she just wasn't sure how to act around people who were mourning.

So Rose just sat at the back by herself, she figured she owed it to the old Hokage to be there. Rose hadn't really known him at all – but it seemed to be the right place to be.

Rose watched as many mourners came to bid the Hokage farewell, it was an upsetting scene – like the entire village was in mourning. The worst part was his family. Rose had spotted Asuma near the front with his nephew, both with misty eyes. It reminded Rose that she didn't really belong here.

"Does anyone know?"

Rose turned her face to see the harsh face of the toad Sannin. Rose raised an eyebrow. "Know what exactly?"

Jiraiya simply flashed a manila folder at her and Rose got an odd sense of familiarity. Rose sighed. "Where did you get that?"

"Sensei's office, he doesn't hide things very well."

Rose shook her head with a slight smile on her face. "I didn't, and I don't know if Hokage-Sama did either… I'm sorry by the way."

Jiraiya nodded his head with a heavy sigh. "He was a good man, a great leader and an amazing teacher. But I'm not here to talk about him."

Rose raised an eyebrow at him, and tiled her head to the side, but her eyes were glued into the newest crying family. Rose hadn't realised just how much the people of Konoha valued their leader. "Then what?"

Jiraiya's eyes followed Rose's path of sight. "Naruto obviously."

Rose rolled her eyes, her mouth set in a frown. "I'm _not_ here for Naruto – for the last time."

Jiraiya nodded his head, his face still set in a very stern look. He gestured to somebody in the crowd – but Rose couldn't see who. "I never said you were."

Rose felt confused; she didn't know what he would want to talk with her about Naruto. "…What did you want to talk about then?"

Jiraiya was silent, and then Rose noticed Kakashi walking up towards them. "Jiraiya-Sama, Rose. What can I do for you?"

"Yes, Kakashi, Rose, I wanted to tell you two that I'm taking Naruto with me to go and get the new Hokage."

Rose raised an eyebrow at the exact same time as Kakashi did. "Of course, Jiraiya-Sama."

Jiraiya smiled despite the rather sombre setting, although it was very fleeting. "I figured you should know, being his Sensei and closest living relative."

Kakashi's eye widened and Rose glared at the Sannin. "Curse you," Rose muttered.

"There should be no secrets' with a couple as cute as you two are!" Jiraiya shoved the folder into Rose's hands, before nodding to Kakashi and leaving the event. Rose blinked and looked up at the slightly surprised Kakashi.

"…You _are_ a Uzumaki then?"

Rose's jaw dropped. "You knew?"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "Yes."

Rose cursed, before she remembered where she was and she looked up at the newest crying couple. "I'm _not_ here for Naruto."

Kakashi nodded. "I know, you would've been gone a long time before now if you had."

"When do you think I should tell him?" Rose asked hesitant. She wasn't sure if she should, she didn't want to give the kid any sort of… unrealistic hope. But, he was family and Rose didn't leave anyone – especially family behind.

Kakashi shrugged. "Soon, Naruto will simply be ecstatic that he has family. You'll make him very happy."

Rose nodded her head. Naruto was like a younger version of her – just wanting to have her family back, or know that she was wanted by someone – that some sort of family out there cared at all.

**%65656756^^^^^777*******

"Didn't we say that we'd be gone by now?" Fred asked as he threw his wand in the air only to catch it again.

"Yes, shouldn't we go?" George asked, he was in a similar position as his twin was.

"Yes, we were thinking-" Rose began.

"That's never a good thing," Fred commented with a measure of wickedness in his voice.

"Shut up. Anyway, Ron, Hermione and I decided that we should stick around until they got a new Hokage, you know get on their feet and stuff."

Remus hesitated, looking at Rose and Ron, who were both sitting on the floor seriously. "Rose, you know that we're short on time."

Rose nodded her head, showing her seriousness, but it was Hermione that answered. "We know that, but after some due consideration we realised that we have a duty to… Konoha to uphold and should stay until the new Hokage comes."

George and Fred squinted at Hermione, who was leaning against a wall, near Rose and Ron. "You wouldn't be saying that because of that brown haired fellow?"

Hermione went slightly pink. "Shut it Fred."

"I'm getting told to shut up a lot this morning Gred," Fred mused thoughtfully.

"Why yes you are, Fordge."

Remus sighed. "The twins and I will go back, and when the new Hokage comes, I expect you three back so we can get to our plan. Alright Rose?"

Rose nodded her head. "Thank you for trusting me Remus."

Remus smiled as the twin starting throwing their wands back and forth. "You're our best hope Rose; we can't do this without you."

Rose smiled at the magical group but she couldn't help but feel like she was being selfish. Why would she stay in Konoha, even if they were down a leader when her home was in trouble and only she could fix that? Why would she wish suffering on innocent people just because she was having fun.

Rose sighed, why did it always have to be up to her?

**$%^%^%^%6666^^%^6**

"You know, I think Haku is upset."

Rose looked at Hermione with her eyebrow raised. "Why would you think that?"

"He's been awfully quite since, Remus and the twins have left," Hermione explained, as Ron took them down another road on the way to the ramen stand. Mmmm, ramen.

"It's because he knows Rose is going to leave," Ron butted in, his eyes never leaving the road, he was at least ten steps in front of them and Rose wondered how in hell he could even hear them.

Rose's eyes widened. "Do you think we should do something for him?"

"Like?" Hermione asked intrigued.

Before Rose could answer her though, there was a sword at hers and Hermione's necks. Hermione froze and Rose not really caring there was a sword about to cut her head off looked to the side to see a man that was a half-fish.

Ron just kept walking completely oblivious, and Rose rolled her eyes. Seriously, that boy and the Ramen stand.

No seriously, he was half fish. Was that even possible? The Hidden Countries always seemed to throw Rose for a loophole… "What-?"

"We got hostages now, Itachi," Fish-Man said, to an older looking Sasuke – who Rose assumed was this Itachi.

They were hostages… Wait what? How did this happen?

"Huh?" Rose asked her eyebrow farrowing. "We're what?"

"Be quite, and look scared," The Fish-Man said grinning, Rose could see the rows of sharp pointed teeth… "Now, Copy-Cat-Nin, will you let these innocent citizens get killed or... You will you tell us where Uzumaki Naruto is?"

"Do you always have to behave so delinquently?" Itachi muttered, sighing.

Rose looked up to see that she and Hermione were now in this sort of showdown. Kakashi, Gai and Asuma –(Who looked like he had fought a bear)- were on one side and they looked like they were ready to fight, and Fish-Man and Itachi, Hermione and her were on the other side.

There were actually no citizens around to get in the way of the fight. Which was strange considering that half of the buildings around had still gone un-re-built, so there really should be many people around just building the houses and things up again – it was strange. It was like they all left just for this fight…

Wait, they wanted _Naruto_?

"Why don't you let the young girls go, and let the fight stay between ninja?" Asuma asked, sounding like this was nothing new to him.

Fish-Man's grin widened, but it was the Sasuke-look-alike that responded. "The problem with Konoha ninja… Is they are not willing to let anyone get hurt. Give us Uzumaki Naruto."

"You're awfully demanding you know?" Ron said. He had been walking in front of Rose and Hermione earlier, and he seemed to have finally realised that they weren't there and had backtracked to see them almost getting their heads chopped off. "What are you two doing? We're meant to be getting ramen."

Rose sighed, and a small smile entered her face. Their stay here had really turned them insane. "We're being held hostage, ramen shall wait."

"Ramen _never_ waits," Ron muttered. "Merlin I sound like Naruto…Okay, who did you piss off this time Rose?"

"No one!" Rose insisted.

Fish-Man chuckled, and Itachi sighed. "Can we get on with this?"

"Go ahead," Rose muttered. "But I have one question… Why do you want Naruto of all people? He can't even tell the difference between a bar of soap and a rabbit."

There was silence. Rose felt she was starting to truly go insane.

"Alright, she's staring to annoy me now, give us him or they're dead," Fish-Man said as he rolled his eyes.

The Konoha ninja hesitated. "How about no?"

Fish-Man grinned. He pulled the sword back in a motion that would have completely beheaded the two girls if they were normal. As it happens, these two girls were anything but normal.

With a loud crack the two girls disappeared from behind the sword and reappeared right in front of the Konoha ninja, Rose's face was full of surprise.

"Warn a girl, why don't you?" Rose muttered and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"This is interesting…" Itachi muttered. "Kisame, it seems that you picked two people with _unusual_ abilities."

"Does that mean I can kill them?" Fish-Man or Kisame, answered with a blood thirsty grin on his face. Rose looked at him slightly disturbed. That sword should probably be taken off him, if they wanted to stay alive…

Ron it seemed had the same idea. "Accio."

The sword ripped itself out of Kisame's grip, despite his efforts to keep the sword and sung towards Ron who caught it and plunged it into the ground in front of him. Ron seemed pleased but Kisame seemed to be very annoyed.

"You _brat_," Fish-Man seethed.

"Sorry," Ron said awkwardly. "Didn't want to get killed you see."

Kisame grinned widely, savagely and Rose felt like they had just kicked a sleeping dragon in the eye. That was never a good idea. Kisame moved forward his eyes bright with his new perceived challenge.

But he got stopped.

Kakashi was right in front of them and out of his spot in ten seconds flat, his body seemingly lax, but the blazing red eye was anything but. Kisame stopped his movement forward, never losing the feral grin on his face.

"You want to fight me, Copy-Ninja? I want to fight the kids!" Kisame shouted - he seemed to be very happy with this.

Itachi the other man, who was wearing a black cloak with fluffy red clouds adorning them, just shook his head. "Please, remember why we are here Kisame. Not to fight. I see that we are getting nowhere, we shall leave."

Itachi made to walk away and frowning Kisame stood his place. "What about my sword?"

"You lost it, and I'm leaving."

"I don't think so," Kakashi said, almost cheerfully. "Do you think I would let you just walk out?"

Itachi sighed. "I see."

Rose blinked; she didn't understand what he saw. Were Kakashi and Itachi going to fight? Who was Itachi, he looked like he could be Sasuke's older brother or something!

Rose wanted to know what was happening and why she almost got kept a hostage for Naruto! What in the hell was going on? Naruto had already left to go find this Tsunade woman…

In a blur of motion, Kakashi and Itachi met with the sound of clashing metal before they both jumped apart, their eyes glued on each other. They were both still for a minute before Kakashi disappeared and reappeared behind Itachi, stabbing him in the back only for him to dissolve into water.

Rose blinked, was that another clone thing? Kakashi then spun around his red eye spinning, a kunai in his hand that he threw to the left of him for seemingly no reason. Then Rose heard the sound of metal on metal and Kakashi ducked just before one of those ninja stars could cut his neck.

Kakashi then made some strange hand sign things with his hand and slammed his hand on the ground causing spikes that were actually made out of the earth to push out, in a deadly line. In the corner of Rose's eye she saw the black-haired male jumping into the air to avoid the spikes.

Itachi made his own hand signs whilst spinning in the air, and brought his hands to his lips and breathed out a fireball right onto Kakashi. Rose's eyes widened as she noticed Kakashi get enveloped by a ball of fire, not being able to do anything. When the fire cleared Kakashi was nowhere to be seen, but there was ash where he had previously been standing.

Rose was amazed. Before Rose could react, Kakashi was behind Itachi again, his hand crackling with electricity. Itachi swiftly avoided every swipe Kakashi gave – until the ball disappeared.

"You have done well in mastering you Sharingan, Kakashi-San. But, you do not have Uchiha DNA, I will show you how an Uchiha uses the Sharingan," Itachi stated with no emotion in his voice, closing his eyes briefly. Kakashi's eyes widened drastically.

"Close your eyes, right now!" Kakashi shouted, panicking. Rose instantly saw everyone around her shut their eyes, and she hurried to do the same, she was greeted by blackness. "Whatever you do, do not open your eyes. Only another Sharingan user has a chance against this. You look into his eyes, and it's over."

Rose was no stranger to having to fight without her sight but this was terrible. She really wished that she could see what was going on. She hated not knowing with this place mainly because the people that were here just had reflexes inhumanly better than hers.

Man, she wished she could see what was going on. Rose tried to focus on her hearing.

"Only a Sharingan user can defeat me true," Itachi's voice sounded dark, and full of sadness. "But only one of the same blood. My illusion Tsukiyomi cannot be defeated."

Rose's eyebrows drew together, she felt… dread. Dread for Kakashi, he was close to being one of her closest friends bar Ron and Hermione. She didn't want Kakashi to get hurt; she wanted him to be safe. She wanted to help protect him - but she couldn't and she hated that.

Rose heard a body hit the ground. Rose had to resist the urge to rip her eyes open and see what had happened.

"Kakashi, what happened?" Asuma asked his voice strong but held a twinge of worry. "Kakashi!?"

There was silence. Rose couldn't help herself and she opened her eyes wide, taking in Kakashi's prone form on the ground. Rose's eyes widened even further. "You _shouldn't_ have opened your eyes young lady."

In panic Rose yelled; "Stupify!"

The spell went too quick for Itachi to fully realise what was going on and it hit him in the chest, he fell backwards stunned.

Rose turned to Kisame who looked like a kid in a candy store. He laughed loudly. "Itachi you got beat by a little girl?"

Rose then realised that all of the others had just ripped their eyes open to survey what had just happened.

"Rose?" Hermione asked warily.

Rose shoulders hunched. "Take Kakashi and get him medical treatment Hermione. I'll take care of the fish."

"Rose…"

The 'fish' laughed loudly, wildly. "This is going to be a good fight!"

"Hermione… _Please_… "

"Alright."

There was a loud crack and Rose knew Hermione had left like she asked. The point where they wanted to hide the extent of their powers was gone, it was gone the second that Kakashi got hurt.

"You guys might want to stand back," Rose warned. "I'm not very happy at this moment."

Rose watched Ron step back majorly, the ninja hesitating deciding not to move more than a few steps back.

"I want my sword," Kisame grinned.

"Where would the fun in giving you your sword be?" Rose asked him rhetorically. "_Incendio_."

Fire whipped around Rose's feet like she was an angel of hell, her eyes slowly turning a sickening shade of yellow-green. Rose gritted her teeth roughly. Rose tried to ignore Kisame's growing grin. The fire shot towards Kisame at an alarming speed.

Kisame tried to dodge, but he seemed to quickly realise that Rose was controlling where the fire was going. With a few strange words and a few strange hand signs, there was a strong amount of water battling Rose's fire. Rose narrowed her eyes and held her arm up, pointed towards the fire to keep it burning stronger.

The fire seemed like it was going to be winning one minute and then

Kisame's water seemed to gain a new level of strength and slowly got pushed back towards Rose.

"Stupify!" Ron called, but the jet of light just bounced off Kisame's scaled skin. "_Together_!"

Rose nodded her head; she just needed to wait for the perfect moment to go. After a few more minutes Rose started to realise that she was getting overpowered and she started to randomly nod her head again. She couldn't let the fire go and let the water get her though…

That was when she heard a shout from Hermione, and Rose let the fire go and the water got redirected into a house completely destroying it.

Quickly Rose and Ron shouted in union. "_Stupify_!"

Kisame feel to the ground as well. Rose huffed in annoyance.

$$$%%%^^^&&&&***&^^%$# #$%^

Rose leaned over Kakashi wanted to poke his cheek and then he would magically wake up, she huffed loudly.

"Rosie… I don't think - … he's not going to wake up…" Hermione muttered from her position behind Rose, next to Ron.

"Yes, he _will_."

Rose heard Hermione sigh. Rose heard a door open and she walked out of the way of the incoming nurse. The three teenagers stood by the door, quietly watching as the nurse took all of his vitals with a sombre look on her face.

"Doc, tell us what's wrong with him?" Ron asked not bothering to be fancy.

The nurse sighed. "He's in an induced coma where he is getting tormented… Only someone with a strong mental fortitude can withstand it, and we're not sure if we can wake him up," The nurse explained, sounding upset.

"There's nothing any of you can do?" Rose asked desperately. "Are you all _that_ useless!?"

The nurse pursed her lips angrily. "Well, Tsunade-Sama might be able to but other than _that, _I have _other_ patients to attend to."

The nurse left the room in a huff, and Rose glared after her – not at all any bit sorry.

"Rose," Hermione reprimanded. "You shouldn't be rude."

"I don't care…" Rose muttered, still annoyed. Then Rose realised something… _Tsunade_! Wasn't that the woman who was meant to be the next Hokage? Magic was a great tracker and she could go help Jiraiya and Naruto to find her, and then she could get her to help Kakashi!

It was a full proof plan.

Rose suddenly made her way towards the door. "I'm going to help find the new Hokage, Tsunade. Feel free to go back home."

"_Rose_!"

"What?" Rose snapped.

"I thought we had an agreement that…"

"I don't care! I'm going to go find her!" Rose declared before storming out of the room.

Ron and Hermione shared a look before they looked at the unconscious Hatake. "She… She loves him doesn't she?"

"I think she does Ron, I think she does."

Both Ron and Hermione just realised that things just got complicated.


	16. Chapter 16

_**The Hidden Countries;**_

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

_**Tracking Skills**_

Rose found that Naruto was an extremely easy person to track, especially when he was throwing out his 'magical' signature like it was a beacon. No seriously, it had taken Rose a day and a half to completely find the two ninja. And Rose was sure that was because they moved so fast.

Rose hated how fast ninja moved – seriously.

"Nee-Chan?"

Rose grinned at Naruto and Jiraiya's incredulous faces upon seeing her. They really have every right to be shocked, and Rose expected them to be wary as well. "Rose-San?"

"Yo!" Rose called walking towards them at a sedate pace, in an attempt to ensure that they didn't try and kill her or something. "I've decided to grace you with my amazing tracking skills."

"You know how to track people, Nee-Chan!?" Naruto asked his voice excited. Rose nodded her head cheerfully. Naruto looked extremely happy with the news and Rose had no idea why. "Can you teach me Nee-Chan!?"

Rose blinked and tilted her head to the side. "I don't think so…"

Jiraiya didn't look overly convinced; in fact he was staring at her like she was insane. Hell, they all knew she was. "Naruto, I think I smell _Ramen_ coming from that stand."

Jiraiya pointed to a stand and Naruto's eyes widened with glee, running for the stand without a second glance at them. "We really need to get him out of that habit," Rose mused thoughtfully.

"We do," Jiraiya agreed, sounding serious. "Why are you here, Rose-San?"

Rose paused. "Trying to help?" Rose tried, but seeing Jiraiya's face Rose realised that wasn't going to cut it for him. "Okay, okay, I need Tsunade to heal someone…"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You do know… That we're coming back with her right?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders, her eyes on the building that Naruto had entered, making sure that he was alright. "I'm _not_ a very patient girl."

"…Kakashi got hurt didn't he? What happened to him?" Jiraiya pressed, sounding kind of stressed. He made a move to get to Naruto.

Rose's shoulders dropped. "How did you…? He's in an induced coma, because of some eye thing done by Uchiha Itachi…."

Jiraiya swore and started to make his way towards Naruto, Rose followed without much thought. "What happened to him and his partner?"

"How did you know…? I knocked them out," Rose said confusion in her voice, and she was pretty sure written all over her features.

Jiraiya stopped walking and turned to face Rose, surprise clearly shown in his eyes. "You what?"

"Knocked them out? They annoyed me!"

Jiraiya sighed, but there was amusement on his face. "Oh, you better come with us then…"

Rose grinned, happily. "Thank you! I can track her if you have something that belonged to her."

Jiraiya nodded his head, his eyes casting a glance over to where Naruto was. "As a matter of fact – I do happen to own something of hers."

The white-haired man then pulled out a DD-sized bra and Rose gave him a disgusted look. "Why do you have her _bra_?"

"I'm a _super-pervert!" _

Rose gave him a dead-pan stare. "That is just stupid."

**66555666677**

"Jiraiya," Rose said seeing that Naruto was about ten steps ahead of them, and not likely to overhear them. "Who are his parents?"

Jiraiya gave her a look that told her it was a need to basis kind of thing to know. "I just mean, I wanted to know how we are related. I honestly didn't know I was part of the Uzumaki clan or whatever."

Jiraiya paused, his face showing his conflict on the subject. "His mother would be where the relation is, Uzumaki Kushina."

Rose paused, judging by the way he was whispering the information, Rose had a guess that Naruto didn't know about his parents. Rose had to wonder why that was. "Does Naruto know about, you know?"

"No."

Rose hesitated, realising that they were on a thin ice with this topic. "What about his father?"

Jiraiya looked at Rose, as if assessing if she was worth the knowledge. "A very _important_ person."

And he refused to talk about Naruto's family any more beyond that point. "Hey! Ero-Sennin! I burst the balloon!"

Rose looked at the blond strangely and Jiraiya looked proud. "Hehe! Well, the next step is to-!"

Rose walked into the bar, with Naruto clinging to her side. It smelt like alcohol and smokes. There were many tables full of gamblers, and Rose didn't see why they were there. She had thought she did the spell right – perhaps she had gotten it wrong somehow?

"Jiraiya, I swear this is where it told me to go…" Rose muttered to the white-haired male on her other side.

Jiraiya just nodded his head and chuckled slightly. "Oh, don't worry Rose-San, she's here."

Discreetly he gestured to a large busted, blonde woman who was sitting at a blackjack table, swaying like she was slightly drunk. Rose looked at the blonde woman in surprise, this was their master healer? They're new leader?

Was he messing with her?

Confidently, Jiraiya strode up to the woman, with Rose and Naruto trailing not so confidently behind him. "Tsunade, it's been awhile."

The blonde woman froze, and slowly turned around and Rose saw the woman's amber eyes and the jewel on her forehead. "Jiraiya? You leach, go away."

"Hey, that's not very nice; I've been looking for you for ages!" Jiraiya complained.

Rose looked at him like he was insane, hell, he most likely was. "What do you want?" She asked grounding her teeth.

"Konoha has asked you to become the next Hokage," Jiraiya replied getting straight down to business. Naruto's eyes went wide, and he looked incredulous. Hadn't he known?

"What!?" Naruto demanded.

Tsunade stared at Naruto with a growing horror on her face – Rose didn't like it at all. "Hush, Naruto."

Naruto looked at Rose with surprise, but it was the look she received from the blonde haired woman that shocked her. It was one of recognition – and it frankly made Rose nervous. Then her eyes slid back to Naruto, her mouth forming an O of surprise.

"Who've you brought with you Jiraiya?" Tsunade demanded, heatedly.

Jiraiya stopped what he was doing and looked back at them. "Oh, this is Uzumaki Naruto, and Potter Rose."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at them, and then looked at Jiraiya with an unimpressed look. "No, I refuse."

"You can't refuse!" Naruto yelled dramatically, his face twisting in confusion.

"Says who, brat?" Tsunade shot back at Naruto.

"Says me!"

Rose groaned, she really didn't want Naruto to get into another one of his silly arguments that he got into with people. "Look, how about you come to Konoha and then _try_?" Rose asked, hopefully.

Tsunade looked at her for a few seconds and then said quite plainly; "No."

Rose's eye twitched. "Why not!?"

Rose just realised how much like Naruto – and even this woman to a degree, she was acting like. Rose sighed, at the exact same time Jiraiya did.

"Because I don't _have_ to!" The woman retorted smugly.

"You can't talk to Nee-Chan like that!" Naruto yelled, loudly, gaining some attention from the people around them.

"Who says brat? Being Hokage is a joke, and I don't want it!" Tsunade said, rolling her amber eyes.

"You-!" Rose put her hand over Naruto's mouth, to stop him saying whatever insulting thing he would say – Rose needed this woman to come to Konoha and heal Kakashi. She just wanted him to be okay.

Rose wondered, why did she care so much? He was her friend of course, and Rose would do anything for those she considered as friends. That had to be it, yes; she would do the exact same thing for Ron and Hermione.

"How about… You come to Konoha, and, _then_ decide if you want to be Hokage?" Rose tried again, not really caring if she became the Hokage or not. She really should, but she was more concerned with her silver-haired friend.

Tsunade looked at the black-haired teen with no amusement visible on her face. "What's the point?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, you could, you know, heal a few people…" Rose said trailing off.

"Defiantly not!" Tsunade cut out, looking annoyed – and was that a bit fearful?

Rose huffed, and she let Naruto go; maybe he could convince the woman somehow. It seemed to be a talent of the midget, making people believe in him. It was a talent that Rose was sure that she did not have.

"How could you not want to be the Hokage!? Why won't you heal anyone!?" Naruto said, angry.

Tsunade frowned, lines creasing her forehead. "Do you even know _who_ she wants me to even heal?"

"It doesn't matter! Anyone who talks like that – even if they are a girl, deserves to be punched in the face!" Naruto declared, and Rose hit her head with her open palm. Why had she let Naruto talk?

She was an idiot that's why.

"You!" Tsunade almost yelled, her voice coming across as majorly angry. Rose hit her head again. "You have _guts_, you, me, outside, now."

Rose groaned and followed the brown haired, pig-holding girl that Tsunade was with outside, after Naruto, Tsunade and Jiraiya. Rose sighed seeing the showdown position that Naruto and the older blonde was in.

"How did this happen?" Rose asked herself, slowly.

Jiraiya was suddenly beside her. "I blame you."

"How?" Rose asked incredulously. Jiraiya just shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll only need one finger to destroy you, brat!" Tsunade glared. Rose groaned; this really wasn't going to end well.

Naruto threw some knives at Tsunade, which she dodged with ease, moving forward, but that didn't deter Naruto. Naruto bought out more of his ninja knives and tried to swipe at Tsunade.

Tsunade held her finger up, and somehow managed to disarm Naruto. Then the older blonde flicked the younger on in the forehead sending him flying, creating a ditch in the ground.

Naruto and Rose groaned at the same time. "Why do you care so much about the name Hokage anyway, brat?"

Naruto glared up at the woman. "I'm going to be the Hokage one day, unlike you. It's my dream!"

Rose smiled softly at Naruto before remembering where she was and she scowled. Tsunade looked at bit shocked, and using this to his advantage, Naruto created a ball of energy to take Tsunade down with. Tsunade gasped, and knocked Naruto down – the ball of energy disappearing.

Tsunade turned to Jiraiya and the look on her face was so scary that Rose actually took a step back. "What have you been teaching this brat?"

"Hey, I'm his teacher!" Jiraiya defended himself.

Tsunade glared. "I'll say he'll get that move soon."

The older blonde glanced at the sunny-haired Naruto. "Hey, brat, let's make a bet?"

Naruto huffed. "What?"

"You learn that move in a week and I will become the Hokage… and give you this necklace!"

Before Naruto could agree or disagree, Rose cut in. "He'll do it… If you come to Konoha and heal someone, during that week."

"But Nee-Chan!"

"_No, buts Naruto!"_

Naruto huffed, and Tsunade smirked. "Deal."

Rose grinned, happy to have won.

** #$%^&*()**

"Which room?" Tsunade asked, uncomfortably looking around the hospital waiting room.

"Down here," Rose said. "Follow me." Rose lead the older woman down the hallway, she did remember where Kakashi was being kept.

On the way to the room Rose saw the nurse that told her that Tsunade would be able to heal Kakashi, and she looked shocked. Rose smirked.

"Who is this guy anyway?" Tsunade grumbled, not sounding at all pleased to be there.

"A… friend…"

Tsunade raised one of her thin eyebrows, and chose to not comment. A few minutes later, they were at the door, which Rose pushed open with no hesitance.

"Him," Rose said holding the door open for Tsunade. Rose watched the amber eyed women enter the room, and she watched as those odd coloured eyes widened.

"_Hatake_ _Kakashi_?" Tsuande asked incredulously.

Rose shrugged her shoulders, her eyes never leaving Kakashi's prone form. Her eyes taking in the dullness of his hair, and she was sure if the mask was off – she would be able to see how pale he was. He didn't look like he was getting better.

Tsunade approached his bed, and grabbed the doctor's clipboard thing that was hanging off the end of his bed, Rose watched as she scanned the information, before setting to work on Kakashi.

Rose didn't leave the room; she just stood there and watched, wondering if Naruto would manage to finish that Jutsu that he had been working on. Where were Ron and Hermione? Did they actually go back home?

Tsunade's hand glowed green, breaking Rose from her musings. She placed her hand on Kakashi's forehead for a few minutes before pressing it on his chest. Tsunade stepped back.

"That's all I can do, it's up to him now," Tsunade said finally.

Rose's shoulders dropped and her eyebrows drew together. "You can't do anything else?"

Tsunade shook her head. "No, I can't."

**#$%^&*()**

"Oi, Baa-Chan!"

"What brat?"

"I finished the Rasengun!" Naruto declared, and Rose gave him a confused look.

Tsunade's face fell. "You – prove it!"

Naruto's face scrunched into one of confusion. "Kage Bunishin!"

Suddenly there was a second Naruto to Naruto's right. "That isn't the ransengun you idiot."

Naruto glared at her. "I know that! Rasengun!" He shouted, and with the help of the clone, there was a complete sphere of energy in his hand.

"Damn."

^&*()_3434343

"Haku?" Rose called opening the door the Haku's apartment.

"Rose-Sama?" Haku asked, walking out into the small room that Rose had walked into. Rose beamed at the boy.

"Hello, Haku!"

Haku blinked, somewhat confused. Rose looked around, somewhat nervously. "Eh, Haku? Do you know where Ron and Hermione are?"

"From what I gathered, they went home."

Rose cursed herself in her head. "Damn it, they actually listened to me."

Haku paused, pulling out a sheet of paper from his back pocket. "They left this, Rose-Sama."

Rose reached over to grab the note, she unfolded it, only to realise that it was written in English, but Rose recognised Hermione's neat handwriting anywhere. After all, Rose had copied Hermione's notes, how many times?

_Rosie,_

_We decided to go back to England – it was Ron's idea._

_We're leaving this with Haku so you don't freak out, but I think you're going to freak out anyway. Ron realised that you weren't going to come back until Kakashi woke up, and we realised that we don't have that much time._

_No pressure, but can you come as soon as he gets better? We've gotten word of a… pretty big emergency… That really needs our full attention. Okay, so Ron's is getting more and more annoyed with how long this is taking and we really need to go._

_Like I said, it's an emergency!_

_No pressure, but, hurry up!_

_Love Hermione and Ron!_

Rose's eyebrows drew together, what was this emergency? Was it really that bad? If Ron and Hermione left then it most likely was… She needed to find Jiraiya…

"Rose-Sama?" Haku asked slowly.

Rose smiled at the gentle boy. "Everything's okay, Haku, just a little… issue back home."

Haku nodded his head seriously. "Then you will be leaving then, Rose-Sama?"

Rose hesitated. "…Only for a little while…"

Haku bowed his head, and Rose felt terrible. "I'm going to come back as soon as I can, Haku, I promise."

Haku looked at Rose with wide eyes, and Rose smiled, bring Haku forward to hug him. "I don't think I could ever actually leave you behind."

"Thank you, Rose-Sama."

**$($# (*$(*# $*($(*$#**

Rose stole a deep breath before walking into the Hokage's office. Tsunade was sitting behind a desk, whilst arguing with the person she was looking for. _Jiraiya_.

"Yo!" Rose greeted, and Tsunade looked at her with confusion.

"How did you get in?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "It's better that you don't know."

Tsunade shook her head, closing her eyes in annoyance. "Why are you here?"

"Oh, yeah," Rose said her small smile leaving her face, turning to Jiraiya. "I, uh, needed to talk to you right away."

"About?" Jiraiya asked.

Rose almost groaned, she should have just staked the room out – but people had been saying that Jiraiya was talking to the new Hokage allot. Rose didn't like waiting. "Uh, I need to go home?"

"Home?" The new Hokage demanded.

"Er, where I live?" Rose said questionably.

"Why?... Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"They went home, there's an emergency," Rose tried to explain, but she really couldn't explain much because, she didn't know what this emergency was.

"Someone explain to me what's going on!" Tsunade demanded.

Rose groaned, why did this always happen to her? "There's a sort of civil war going on where I'm from, and, I uh, may be the leader of one of the sides?"

Tsunade gave her a deadpan stare. Jiraiya looked at Rose seriously. "Do you need any form of help, Rose?"

Rose shook her head at Jiraiya. "I'm good, just thought I'd let you know…"

"A team is going with you!" Tsunade demanded, hitting her fist on the table, causing it to split in half.

"What?"

"A team damn it!"

"I don't want-!" Rose protested. She really didn't want to have to explain everything to anyone; it was simpler when she didn't have to.

"This isn't a discussion!"

"But!?"

"NO."


	17. Chapter 17

**The Hidden Countries**

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Crash Course**

Rose tried to open the door as quietly as possible; she wasn't sure why she was trying to be quite when she was going into a coma patient's room. It didn't make much sense but then again, Rose did never make much sense.

"You need to work on your stealth, it's terrible."

Rose jumped her eyes wide, turning to face the direction of the voice. Rose saw something she hadn't expected to see. Kakashi was wide awake, his small orange book in hand, looking as lazy as ever.

It was almost like he had been awake for days, but that couldn't make sense because Rose just left with the new Hogake about three hours before. Rose stared at him speechless, before she smiled widely, run up to him and hugged him. Kakashi made a small sound of surprise. "_Rose_?"

Rose buried her head in the junction near his shoulder. "I _told_ them you'd be okay."

Kakashi chuckled slightly. "It takes a bit more than that to get rid of me."

Realising exactly what she was doing, Rose backed away, but she didn't lose her smile. "So I see, how are you feeling?"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, and Rose wondered if he was smiling – it certainly seemed like he was. "I've felt better."

Rose had to not wince. "At least you're not _dead_."

Kakashi nodded his head cheerfully. "There is that at least."

Rose couldn't help but laugh a little; only Kakashi would be able to make it sound like nothing. They had said that he might not actually survive. That was when the door swung open, and Tsunade walked in, looking slightly annoyed.

Rose felt like backing up and then jumping out the window, and running as fast as she could to avoid her. She just seemed to be _that_ annoyed. The blonde woman paused assessing the room, before continuing to the doctor's clipboard. "You're awake."

Kakashi nodded his head. "Yes, Tsunade-Sama."

Rose stood their feeling awkward, and she wondered if the Hokage had come to Kakashi's room to check on him – which she doubted considering she had seen to him not three hours ago; or, to find and talk to her – about that 'team' that she wanted to send with Rose.

Rose didn't want a team, sure, she loved to have help – she wasn't arrogant enough to think that she could do it all alone, but a team of ninja she could do without. To start with she would have to go to all the trouble of informing them all about the wizarding world and its customs so that they didn't stand out, and that would take forever. Then she would have to explain to everyone why she had ninja on her side.

Rose really couldn't be bothered going through all that hassle, it was too difficult. But, the Hokage seemed to be a very, very determined person, and she really didn't seem to want to take _no_ as a good enough answer. Rose had tried – oh how Rose had tried to convince the Hokage that she really didn't need any help. And how she had failed miserably would forever be branded into her mind.

She was such a failure.

"I should have expected to see you here Rose."

Rose snapped out of her musings and looked at the Hokage sheepishly. "You expected me somewhere else?"

Tsunade tiled her head to the side and sighed. "I guess not," she replied sounding resigned. Like it was something she couldn't control but wished she could. "Now you, I would say stay here, but, I know you'll most likely jump out of the window. So, you're free to go."

Kakashi smiled using his only visible eye, snapping his book shut. "You know me so well, Tsunade-Sama."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "You ninja are all the same."

Kakashi just shrugged his shoulders, never losing his smile. Tsunade turned to Rose, as Kakashi stretched his arms, in preparation of getting out of bed. "_You_, I have your team, I'll send them to your house around seven and you can brief them properly."

Rose sighed. "Fine."

"Team? What team?"

Rose and Tsunade looked over at Kakashi at the same time. Rose then looked at Tsuande and glared at her, she however didn't seem to be very phased. "She's going home, and I'm making sure she won't get hurt."

There was silence for a few brief moments, Kakashi seemed to be taking in the information, Rose was glaring at the Hokage for disregarding what she wanted, and the Hokage was waiting for something.

"I want to go," Kakashi replied, without a second hesitation.

"No," Tsunade replied, gaining a hard look in her amber eyes.

Kakashi paused for a second, like he wasn't expecting to be told no. "Why not?"

"You just got out of hospital, which you've been in for a month."

Rose couldn't argue, it sounded reasonable. Rose knew Kakashi really couldn't argue either – that helped the fact that Rose was sure that Kakashi really shouldn't come either, she was glad that Tsunade at least thought this part though. Kakashi just got out of the hospital – he couldn't come.

"I don't care." The two ninja seemed to stare at each other, like a match, trying to see which one would remain superior. Tsunade hissed.

"I'm your new Hokage, you know that right?" Tsunade pressed, annoyance seeping out of her in waves. "Don't think for a second you can disrespect me again, Jonin."

Kakashi blinked, but then smiled. "Of course, Hokage-Sama."

Tsunade sighed. "You better go and get ready-"

"No!" Rose said in disbelief. Tsunade sighed. "He's still injured!"

Tsunade looked at her with a deadpan expression. "You are a very stubborn girl."

Rose blinked looking confused as she disappeared from the room. With her mouth hanging open she turned to glare at Kakashi who had disappeared as well.

Rose screamed; "God damn ninjas!"

*****~~~%%%66666%%%~~~*****

"Rose-Sama… Hokage-Sama has given me a mission."

Rose closed her eyes, before opening them and staring at Haku, who was standing in front of her holding a big bowl of rice. Rose frowned and Haku passed over the bowl, with a pair of chopsticks. Rose's eye twitched – when she came back from London she was bringing knives and forks, with Mrs Weasley's cookbook.

Rose was sick of rice.

Rose smiled and took the bowl. "Thank you Haku, and uh, what's your mission?"

Rose had a feeling she wasn't going to like this… Haku looked around nervously. "Hokage-Sama approached me about going with you to your home village."

Rose sighed, of course she had, and of course she had. Rose snapped her chopsticks apart and started to eat. Rose briefly looked up at Haku's nervous ace and realised that he might not be very happy with that. "You don't have to go Haku."

Haku's eyes widened. "No, no, I want to go Rose-Sama! I don't want you to be displeased that I would go as well, as Rose-Sama has previously said."

Rose was finally starting to understand and she smiled softly at the boy. "Haku, your probably the only one on this team that I actually want going."

Haku beamed at her, when there was a knocking at the door, and Rose sighed. She didn't want to explain everything. This wasn't going to end well, and they all knew that! Rose stuffed her face with some more rice, when Haku went to answer the door.

Rose was hungry and she wasn't going to let people get in the way of her food. Gosh, she sounded like Ron. Rose's eyes followed Haku as he re-entered the room followed by Kakashi and Jiraiya. Rose snorted – of course.

"Can I get you anything?" Haku asked politely. He received two nos. Before Rose finished her mouthful of rice and looked at Haku.

"We might need tea; this is going to take a while to explain."

Haku nodded his head. "Of course, Rose-Sama."

Rose sighed – she really wished he would stop calling her that. Rose shoved another mouthful of rice into her mouth. She looked up at the two older ninja, and gestured for them to sit down. Jiraiya did, but with great amusement.

"Why is the couch neon green?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders, realising there was no rice left and huffed. "Ask Haku."

"Rose, what is it that needs explaining?" Kakashi asked, sitting on the couch like there was nothing wrong in the world and he was really just there for a cup of tea.

"Well," Rose paused. "You remember when I told you about Tom and everything?"

Kakashi and Jiraiya nodded their head, and Rose bit her lip – wondering when Haku would get back – he needed to hear this as well.

"Well, I didn't exactly tell you _everything _you would need to know about him, and where I live in order to fit in. Where I come from, it's quite a different place."

Jiraiya raised his eyebrow as Haku walked back into the room, sitting down and starting to pour everyone tea. "What do you mean by different?"

"Well to start with we speak another language," Rose said noncommittally. The reactions of surprise and shock were actually much unexpected on Rose's part. "I can fix that though, with a seal thingy that Hermione taught me, it's actually how I'm speaking Japanese right now."

"I would love to see this seal," Jiraiya added with growing interest, Rose looked at him warily.

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, back home we call Tom, You-Know-Who…"

"You call him… You-Know-Who? Why?" Kakashi asked with disbelief in his voice. Rose winced, taking a sip of the tea that Haku had prepared for her, before settling next to Rose.

"Well, you see, there's kind of a ban on saying the name – and uh, people are really scared of him," Rose tried to explain. "Just call him You-Know-Who, okay?"

There was head nodding, and Rose sighed. "People may refer to our abilities as magic as well; that's because we belong to a magical community."

The stares that Rose received made Rose want to laugh and say that she was making this all up. They were looking at her like a crazy person. Rose sighed. "It's rather hard to believe before you actually see it – but if you see something that's not entirely human, don't freak out, it's probably not. We're magical creatures."

There was blinking, and Jiraiya got a interested look on his face. "And you are…?"

"A witch, so is Hermione and Ron is a wizard. But that's not all I mean, Remus is a Werewolf, so…"

"Don't witches have green skin and ride around on brooms?" Kakashi asked dryly.

Rose's eye twitched. "That is insulting, we do _not_ have green skin and… okay, well, we _do_ ride brooms but..."

"Wait, you actually ride brooms?" Kakashi asked leaning forward.

Rose nodded her head and smiled. "Not many of us do, it's quite a talent. We play this sport, which I'm amazing at-"

Jiraiya coughed and Rose leaned back, embarrassed for getting off topic. "Er right, so uh, this dispute that I had been talking about? You-Know-Who wants to kill all other magical creatures but witches and wizards, and he only wants the pure-blood to survive."

"Pure-Blood?" Jiraiya quizzed.

"We have blood purity. So a Pure-Blood has purely wizarding blood in their system, you only get that by well-" Rose trailed off with a slightly disgusted look on her face.

"Inbreeding," Kakashi finished off grimly.

Rose nodded her head. "Yeah, Ron's a Prue-Blood. Then, there's the one's like me, the Half-Blood. Half of our genetic material is from a Prue-Blood and the other half… is from another creature, or a muggle, or muggle-born."

"What a Muggle?" Haku asked for the first time.

"A non-magical person, and that leads to the Muggle-Born like Hermione. Someone with magical powers born to a Muggle, a person with no magical heritage. Many Wizards, don't exactly _like_ Muggle-Borns, because… Well, I'm not actually sure."

"How are you a Half-Blood?" Jiraiya asked. Rose sighed realising this would be a long night.

"My father, James Potter, is from a long line of Pure-Bloods and my mother, Lily Evans, is from a Muggle family as a Muggle-Born."

Kakashi seemed to get more interested in this. "How does a Muggle-Born acquire their powers?"

Rose sighed.

**#$%^&*(*&^%$%^&*&^%^&***

Rose glanced back at the three men behind her, all looking fascinated with the seal placed on their palms. Rose rolled her eyes, ninja.

Rose paused for a minute, the potion that would create the portal with simmering dangerously, and Rose felt like this would be a bad idea. She wasn't the best at potions.

"How does this work?" A voice right next to ear asked, and for once Rose had been expecting it.

"Let's call it a short-cut to the world of magical creatures," Rose replied to Kakashi, with a small smirk. "Everyone ready?"

"Yes, I just wanted to know what-" Jiraiya began, before the potion began to simmer and Rose realised that it was starting to take effect.

"No time! Come here!"

**$%^&*((*&^%$%^&*()**

The floor was cobbled, there were a lot of old buildings, many of the windows were boarded up. There was numerous posters that read; 'Rosemary Potter-Wanted!'

Rose realised where they were, Diagon Ally. They needed to get out of there quickly. That was one thing that they couldn't control about the stupid portal – where they came out. It could be worse; they could have ended up wherever Voldemort was. That wouldn't have been good.

Rose felt a hand touch her shoulder, and she slapped the hand away; she glanced back to see that the three ninja were there and not missing any body parts that she could see. That was a bonus as well.

Rose hushed them, and looked around, there was no one there. They were behind where Rose knew was Madam Malkins. Rose could hear people talking, like there was a large amount of people around, but she couldn't place it.

"Rose-Sama," Haku whispered his voice berley loud enough for her to hear. "From over there."

Rose followed Haku's direction and saw that he was pointing down a small alleyway, without much hesitation she slipped though the two walls. Only stopping when she could see what was going on. Rose glanced back to see the ninja all right behind her.

Rose inched forward a little, but she really didn't want to go any further out in case they saw her. What Rose saw actually made her stomach drop.

There were many people in the courtyard, many had hoods on so that Rose couldn't see their faces, but it was still unusual for so many people to be out. Rose looked around for a bit more seeing that older Malfoy spawn was standing on a makeshift stage looking quite happy.

Stupid Malfoy and his stupid theatrics. "Silence!" Malfoy yelled. Rose wasn't really sure why he had yelled that, because to be honest there was only small mutterings. But those stopped straight away.

Malfoy opened his arms like he was welcoming them all, and Rose frowned. Her eyes took in that his cane – which was also his wand, was clutched in his right hand. He looked like he was scared, she could see that.

"Welcome, to the public execution of a Blood-Traitor! There is no greater sin to have someone of Pure-Blood and have them… disgrace their rank. Saying this I'm showing you all what happens when you go against the Dark Lord. Here is Neville Longbottom!" Malfoy yelled his voice sounding like it would break any minute.

Rose's eyes widened and all she could think was 'no'. Not Neville, what was happening? Why and what the hell was going on!?

Neville, his face bloody and his posture slumped was dragged onto the small stage, but his eyes held a fire… It was the most confident she had ever seen her friend. Rose shook her head, she couldn't let this happen. Rose needed to do something!

Neville was glaring at Malfoy. "I will never give up. Dumbledore's Army will never stop."

"Silence!" Malfoy yelled slashing his wand at Neville, sewing his mouth shut. "See; see what happens when you are disgraceful to your Blood Status?"

Neville's eyes were wide, and panicked. Rose clenched her fist, as Malfoy pointed his cane at Neville. The crowed was dead quiet, not a person moved. It went in slow motion for Rose; she could see no one doing anything. She heard a quick intake of breath from behind her.

Rose clenched her eyes together and held her arm out – not bothering with the restraining hand on her shoulder. "_Expellimarus_!"

Malfoy's cane flew out of his grasp and there were many people staring to whisper. "Who! Who was that? Who dares to-!?"

"Me!" Rose declared, feeling like she was an idiot. She walked out of the small crevice between the buildings. Putting her hand behind her in a sign that clearly meant 'don't follow me'.

"_Potter_," Malfoy said in disbelief. The crowed instantly went quiet. Neville grinned despite the bad situation. "You!? You're an idiot Potter."

Rose walked forward slowly, tilting her head to the side. "We all knew that Mr. Malfoy. But did you know that I'm a brave one?"

Malfoy sneered at Rose. She was now just steps in front of the stage. Malfoy glared at a few people over her shoulder. "Brave you may be Potter, but that doesn't make you any less of an incompetent idiot."

"That was rude," Rose said, her body staying completely relaxed. What the hell was she doing!?

"_Rude_, Potter? What's rude is not introducing your new friends."

"What?" Rose said, her head snapping to the side, to see the Death Eaters had gone into the Ally and had marched out the three ninja that she was with. Rose smiled and turned back to stare at Malfoy. "I promised that I wouldn't introduce them to spineless cowards."

Malfoy gritted his teeth and glared at Rose. "You are not in the position to be saying things like that, Miss Potter. You're surrounded."

Rose looked to the side to see the Dark Cloaked Death Eaters surrounding the 'event'. Rose sighed, she was screwed, and why the hell had she revealed herself? Oh right – for Neville.

What now? "It wasn't a smart idea to come here, Potter. It's over."

Rose blinked, putting on her best innocent act. "Oh? It is, is it?"

Someone lunged at her from her left and Rose ducked underneath the flying spell he shot as well. Rose berley noticed the ninja breaking free of their restraints.

Rose moved forward and swung herself on the stage, Rose ginned happily. "Over, Mr. Malfoy? Seriously, who do you think I am?"

Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her. "A stupid little-"

Suddenly there was a Senborn flying through the air, piercing Mr Malfoy's neck. This caused him to fall into a dead faint.

Rose turned to face the stunned crowed. "Guess what? Rose Potter is back, and I'm taking this place _back_."

Then… Then there was applause, and the few Death Eaters that hadn't been knocked out fled. Rose turned to the ninja. "That was awfully fast."

"And they were _awfully _slow," Kakashi's light, teasing voice somehow put Rose at ease. Even though she had just seen her friend almost get killed.


	18. Chapter 18

**The Hidden Countries**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**The Start Of The End**

"The Ministry then?"

"I say we take over Diagon Ally, the Ministry's useless!" Tonks protested.

"Explain to me, exactly, _how_ we're going to take over an _ally_?"

Rose sighed and tilted her chair back as Kingsley and Tonks went out against each other. They were in the drawing room at Grimmauld Place, and they couldn't seem to come to a choice about what to take back from Voldemort's clutches first.

"You should go for the place that wouldn't be as heavily guarded," Jiraiya inserted, his eyes darting from the two feuding people.

Tonks glared at him heatedly, her moods seemed to be – erratic, well, considering she was about eight months pregnant, Rose felt it could be over looked. Kingsley just rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"We considered that, but we really didn't see the point," he explained to the ninja.

"To get a foot in," Kakashi replied lazily. Ron – who was sitting next to Rose, Hermione being on his other side, shot a look at Kakashi, then glanced at Rose.

"Has he gotten _lazier_? He sounds _lazier_."

Rose chuckled under her breath, but turned it into a hacking cough when Mrs Weasley shot them a warning look. "I think we should take Hogwarts," Hermione said speaking up for the first time in the meeting.

"Hermione," Mr Weasley said gently, trying not to hurt her feelings. "Hogwarts is the least of our worries at the moment."

Rose paused though… She really could see where Hermione was coming from, considering that the Wizarding World really didn't have that many places of value. "I think we should take Hogwarts," Rose repeated.

Almost the entire room looked at Rose like she was insane. Good point, she probably was. "Think about it, it's probably the easiest place, with the most value."

The room was silent, everyone actually deliberating on the issue. Hermione huffed in annoyance. Rose understood her frustration; everyone overlooked her knowledge because of her age. Rose glanced around the room to see that no one was overly convinced, they most likely just didn't want to tell her of all people no.

"Kinglsey, Remus, what was the last thing that Professor Dumbledore said to you?" Rose asked, restating the question that Kingsley posed to Remus when they were trying to make sure they were the real person. This might kick-start the argument a little bit.

"Rose is out last hope, trust her," Remus muttered under his breath.

Rose smiled at the group and Kingsley sighed. "How do we do this then?"

That was it; they were going to take over Hogwarts. Rose found herself grinning at nothing.

**#$%^&*&^%$%^&*9**

Rose rolled over to see the picture of the four marauders' hanging on the wall, surrounded by the numerous posters of bikini clad women. Rose wasn't overly fond of the way that Sirius choose to decorate his room, but it was his room, and Rose chose to stay in his room, so she had to deal with it. Rose really didn't mind that much but it had her feeling uncomfortable.

It was the only way she could feel close to her dead godfather, who was the closest thing to a real father that she had ever had. Rose sighed heavily. What she wouldn't give just to talk to him for a few minutes, for one last time. She could use his never ending, and surprisingly good advice.

Sitting up, Rose realised that she wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon. Sitting in Sirius's old room and thinking about things she really didn't want to think about wasn't helping her that much either. There had to be something much better for her to do. Hopefully that something could involve less dark thoughts, and perhaps a means to fall asleep.

Rose sighed again. She wasn't sure what time it was, but with the amount of light and lack of noise about the house, she would have to guess it to be around midnight. Why did she always have her problems at the dead of night?

Feeling slightly thirsty, Rose decided that she would go to the kitchen in order to get a glass of water or something like that. Rose got up from the old bed, and slowly made her way out of the teenage boy's room and tried to make her way quietly down to the kitchen.

The key word in the last sentence was 'tried'. Rose always thought she was pretty good at sneaking around, and not being noticed – until she met _him_.

"You know, I could help you with that stealth issue of yours."

Rose turned to face the sound of Kakashi's voice. It was too dark in the hall, but she could make out the basic shape.

"Did I wake you up?" Rose asked softly, choosing to ignore the comment on her stealth.

"I'm a light sleeper," Kakashi explained.

Rose sighed, taking that she did in fact wake him up. "Come on, I'm going to the kitchen."

The two slowly made their way to the kitchen. When they reached the destination, Rose lit the lights in the kitchen. Was it too hard to ask for some real muggle lighting? Rose turned to look at Kakashi, only to realise what he was wearing.

"Do you _ever_ change?" Rose asked incredulously. Rose seriously had only ever seen him wear one thing – his ninja uniform. Did he seriously sleep in that thing?

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, leaning against the kitchen bench. "At times."

Rose gave him a deadpan look. "Do you even _own_ pyjamas?"

"Yes," Kakashi replied with a measured amount of amusement.

Rose shook her head, opening cupboards looking for a cup to use. Rose frowned – Mrs Weasley hadn't been moving everything around on her again, had she? After a few minutes Rose managed to find a goblet and had it filled with water, she offered some to Kakashi but he hadn't wanted any.

"What's wrong, Rose?" Kakashi asked suddenly.

"Hm?" Rose grunted, draining the cup and setting it by the sink. "What makes you think something's wrong?"

"It's twelve at night, and you're in a kitchen – drinking water."

Rose paused. "Normal people drink water at midnight, you know? Okay fine… It's a long, boring story – and you really don't want to hear it."

Kakashi smiled, tilting his head to the side. "I think I do."

Rose sighed leaning back on the wall behind her, her eyes locked onto Kakashi's lazy form. She debated telling him the truth, and then she entertained not telling him at all. But eventually she realised that she had to tell him something.

Plus, they were friends, and friends told each other things. Right?

"This is my God-Father's house, Sirius Black. He was actually more of a father to me than anyone else I'd known, and being in this house – it well, it reminds me of him. I can never sleep," Rose said eventually.

"…What happened…?"

"He got killed, because of me. I tried to warn him but – she was there and then he, he wasn't," Rose realised that she hadn't made much sense. She hadn't really told anyone what happened, because all the people that would've cared was there. No one wanted to deal with her talking about it – and she hadn't _wanted_ to talk about it.

Rose had been looking down, so she hadn't realised it when Kakashi had walked up to stand in front of her. Rose looked up at him, trying to will away the stubborn pieces of water in her eyes. Kakashi was looking at her softly. She hated it.

Hesitantly, like he wasn't very certain of himself, Kakashi wrapped his arms around Rose's waist. Rose chuckled slightly, returning the hug. Sometimes, words were not meant to be spoken because a lot of the time – actions spoke louder than words.

They stood still for quite a long time, a lot longer than a normal friendly – even if it was comforting hug should have lasted for. Then Kakashi began to speak. "I was five when I became a ninja."

Rose was startled but she didn't say anything. "I came home from my exam; I went to look for my father. But he wasn't there, I looked for him and I found him in the study, he was dead. He'd committed suicide."

Rose suddenly felt a gut-wrenching pain for Kakashi to have to go through that. He was so young and he had to deal with that – death. She thought it had been hard for her to grow up without hers, but Kakashi was young enough to still remember and grow up without them. It was horrible.

But Rose felt warmth in her chest; he had trusted her enough to tell her this. Kakashi wasn't the sort of person just to go around telling everybody about his past. He was the type to bury it, and never think of it again.

It was depressing what midnight talks could do to you. You start with mocking each other and it finishes in talking about dead father figures. Rose rested her head on Kakashi's chest, and he tightened his hold around Rose.

For a split second, Rose looked up to see the pain in Kakashi's eye. Kakashi showed so many emotions in his eye, it was like an open book – if one cared enough to see what was written in them.

Kakashi looked down at her and before any of them could process anything, Kakashi lowered his head. Then he kissed her.

It was awkward and unexpected, but not unwelcome… The friction between the fabric and her lips was strange, and uncomfortable, and the funny thing was – Rose wouldn't have it any other way.

The most pressing issue, although it being hard for her to think straight – other than the fact that Kakashi smelt like pine trees; was, why was she kissing Kakashi?

Rose's arms rose to place themselves behind his neck, pushing his face closer in to hers. His arms automatically tightened around her waist. It was comforting. Questions could wait until later.

"There's only one way in now," Ron said, giving Rose a hard look. "They've blocked off all of the passageways, and they have dementors around the borders; what made you think this would be easy Rose?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders, completely distracted with thoughts of the night previous. What had she been thinking? "Hm, okay."

"Are you listening to me, Rose?" Ron asked his voice gaining a grumpy edge.

"What?" Rose said turning to look at her two best friends. Hermione was looking at her with a growing looking of knowing on her face. It freaked Rose out and she wondered how the hell she perfected that look.

It wasn't a normal look for a person to even have.

"You're a tad distracted this morning, Rosie," Hermione commented. "…What happened?

Rose's thought's flickered to the night previous, and she felt her face grow hot. She still couldn't believe what happened. She had spent the rest of the night questioning herself. What had it meant? Did he _like_ her? Did Rose _like_ him? Of course she cared for him deeply but was that enough? Was it…_Love_? "Er, nothing."

Even Ron looked interested now. Damn her too quick answer. "Who cares? Come on, Ron, what's the only way in?" Rose asked, trying to ignore her friends, focusing on what was really important.

"A passage though the Hogshead, but Rose, why are you going red… Are you sick?" Ron asked with slight concern. Rose and Hermione both looked at Ron like he was mental.

"He does… have the emotional range of a teaspoon, doesn't he?" Rose asked Hermione.

Hermione laughed, and Rose quickly joined in but Ron just looked confused. "What?"

"The painting?" Rose asked, looking back at Dumbledore's younger brother.

He grunted. "Do you want in or not Potter?"

Rose squared her shoulders. "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Dumbledore."

Rose turned back to the painting, only to have a hand stop her from going forward. Rose looked back with her eyebrow raised. "Yes Haku?"

"I think I should go first, Rose-Sama," Haku said blankly. "Just in case."

Rose smiled, not really seeing the point, but if it made the brown-haired boy any happier then… "If you want."

Haku gave her a fleeting, gentle smile, before disappearing though the paining. She heard Jiraiya's intake of breath. Rose turned to face his surprised face, with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"I told you this was filled with magic, but no," she muttered under her breath. "Anyone want to go next?"

"I do," Hermione said with a easy smile. "Then I think it should be, Jiraiya, Ron, Kakashi then you, Rose."

"Why do we need an order?" Rose protested.

"We do," Hermione said disappearing though the painting. Rose rolled her eyes and turned to face Aberforth.

"There's going to be more people coming though," she warned him.

He rolled his eyes. "What do you think I'm running here, Potter?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "Trust me."

"I'm not that trusting Potter."

Before Rose could counter, she felt an arm rest on her mid-back. A personal gesture – did that mean he saw her as a friend that he had kissed, or perhaps something more? Rose turned around to face Kakashi – her face going slightly pink. Why did she care so much anyway? It wasn't like she cared…They hadn't had much of any time to talk since… Rose shook her head, before her memories could draw her back there.

Rose then nodded her head, trying to ease Kakashi's confusion. "Let's go then, eh?" she asked him, cheerfully.

Rose followed Kakashi though the painting, which was completely strange – even for her, to this dark tunnel. It was rocky, not a smooth road though. Rose wouldn't have argued if it was smooth, but, you know, whatever.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, Rose decided to talk. "So hey, about the other day…"

Kakashi didn't respond but she knew that he was listening, maybe. Rose bit her lip, not really being sure what she wanted to say. Rose opened her mouth to say something else when she stumbled on a foot hole in the path, sending her forward.

Rose gripped on the back of Kakashi's jacket to remain upright. "I did that on purpose."

She heard Kakashi chuckle, but it sounded strained. "Of course you did."

Rose smiled regaining her balance, so he _was_ listening. Rose still didn't know what she wanted to say. Maybe it would be better to not bring it up, but, she'd already brought it up, hadn't she?

"I just wanted to say it was, uh – is that light?" Rose started off slowly, before realising that there was a blinding light, extremely close to where they were. She wasn't procrastinating talking to him about the uh – thing.

The two moved forward quickly, walking though the light into a place that Rose recognised as the room of requirement. It was spaced out in a way she had never seen it do before – it was like barrack's, from the muggle movies she had watched when Petunia hadn't realised she had nothing to do. Except it was decorated in the different house colours (Red, gold, blue, bronze and black and yellow) – making it a bright place.

The colours were next to nothing to the spirit of the people in the room. They were cheering.

"_It's Rose!"_

"_Potter! I told you, I told you Seamus!"_

"_Welcome back, Potter!"_

Rose was surprised, looking out to the massive crowed of Hogwarts students, who were cheering – excited.

"Welcome back, Rose!" Colin Creevy said, jumping out of the crowed, excitement on his face. Rose raised an eyebrow, wasn't he a muggle-born? That was when Rose realised that his younger brother was behind him – the same amount of enthusiasm on his face.

The fact that his younger brother was magical proved he couldn't be all muggle-born. "Hey Colin."

Colin looked like he was perfectly blissed out. Rose had to stop herself from sighing; it seemed that absence did make the heart grow fonder.

"What's the plan?" Luna Lovegood said her voice dreamy; she was sitting on one of the blue chairs.

"A long one, Luna, but… we have to wait for everyone else."

Not too long after Rose had said that, Fred and George emerged from the tunnel. The cheering started up again. The Twin's soaked this up though, doing a series of dramatic bows.

Rose grinned at them. Things were just getting started.

**A small and brief.**

KAKASHI POV.

Kakashi watched in amazement, this place would have to be something of a young child's dream. There was magic being used for the smallest of tasks, when it could be used for the most complex things possible. Different creatures wondering in and about the place; werewolves, elfs (Or a house-Elf as it had been explained to him,) and the most common it seemed, witches and wizards.

It was something that he had never expected, the small black-haired girl that caught his attention, wasn't even _human_. Of course it would happen that way, the fates seemed to like throwing things at him. But this time, Kakashi found that he really didn't mind as much. He was glad that he got to meet this girl – witch.

Rose was like no one he'd ever met before. She tried reaching out to _him_, she was bright, a beacon of hope for her people, for him. She'd been messed with by fate, just as much as he had. But they were nothing alike. He'd let the bad things affect him; he had become withdrawn, uncaring and lazy.

Rose hadn't been, no. Where his misfortune had made him a bitter person, it had the opposite effect on Rose. She had become brighter; she worked towards having more friends and family. She made her life worth living. And against all odds, she had dragged him into her life that was worth living.

Kakashi didn't want to lose that. He wondered exactly when it was that he fell for her, what was it? Her smile? Her green eyes that sparkled in the light? Or was it that never ending persistence that she seemed to share with Naruto?

Kakashi smiled, his mask hiding what would have been seen of that smile. His one good eyes watched as the black-haired woman walked around the room – there was nothing graceful about the way she walked, she could wake up a Nara – but it captivated him all the same. She greeted everyone like they were old friends. She shined. She belonged.

Kakashi's eyes darted around the room, taking in all the military based equipment in the room. They were all prepared for a battle; it seemed they'd been fighting for quite a long time. Fighting and waiting, waiting for Rose to turn up. It confused him, he wondered why everyone placed the weight of winning this civil war in the hands of a girl, that may be powerful enough to take a Jonin with the element of surprise, but wasn't ninja quality.

She lacked the will of a ninja – she was a fighter yes, a survivor defiantly, but never a ninja.

"Lilies."

Kakashi turned his head sharply, he had been aware of the red-haired twin – Fred, being next to him. He hadn't thought the boy would talk to him. "Hm?"

"It's her favourite flower," Fred said gesturing to Rose, a look of longing on his face. For a reason that Kakashi didn't like – Kakashi started to dislike the boy. It wasn't because Fred would always have more of a chance than he did.

Kakashi simply raised an eyebrow at the younger male, not caring enough about him to give more of a response. Hell, Kakashi did dislike the red-head to a degree.

"They remind her of her mum, plus, she thinks roses are unoriginal… Don't even try to buy rosemary perfume – or rosemary _anything_..."

Kakashi hummed, confused.

"I'm telling you because I'm not a sore loser."

Kakashi turned to face the boy, for once actually looking at him. He was tall, almost as tall as he was, with short red hair and blue eyes. He had a look that told Kakashi that he was like Naruto in the pranking department. It pained Kakashi to admit but he suited Rose perfectly. "I don't understand."

Admitting that did one of the hardest things he'd done, not like to come off as weak.

Fred scowled, his 'good' nature, running a bit thin. "I'm not an idiot, plus don't think you're the only one that goes for midnight walks – it's how _we_ first met."

Kakashi looked over to the short girl, who was laughing at something with a blonde that didn't seem to be all there. He didn't know what to say, so he remained silent.

"I saw you two okay? And for fucks sake, I know she's bloody happier with you, okay?" He seemed frustrated.

Kakashi didn't say anything, Fred's words running around his head. She's happier with him, huh? Somehow he really doubted that. But with a look at the nineteen year old, Kakashi realised, that he really did mean it.

Kakashi felt something he hadn't felt in years, hope.

ROSE

Everywhere she looked, there was fighting, people going down. People getting hit with unknown spells and getting hurt. The Death-Eaters seemed to be gaining the upper hand. She was almost screwed.

But there was one thing that kept her smiling. There was the thought, the idea that if she faced Voldemort tonight, than it would be the end of everything – the war, the heartache, everything would be over and done with. Rose didn't know if it was to be her demise or Voldemorts tonight, she wouldn't actually know, but one of them was dying tonight. And even if it was her, then at least she knew that she had many people to fill her place.

No one would truly ever stop fighting.

Rose ducked under a few spells, sending a few nasty curses to Death-Eaters, but there seemed to be stopping them. The ninja were like god-sends. Haku was an amazing healer, but he couldn't do anything for those hit with the killing curse. Kakashi and Jiraiya seemed to be very adept at not getting hit, but not as good as actually getting close enough to be able to knock them out.

It was their ninja training, Rose was for sure. And where they have the element of surprise and killer reflexes, they weren't a match for some of the killer magic produced.

Rose didn't much mind this, as long as no one got hurt. She had a snake-face to find…

"Ninja, a rare find," a high cool voice said. This caused fighting to come to a cease. All the attention of the duellers turned to the middle of the room, where Voldemort stood his pasty white face shown to everyone. He had come. "I can say, that you belong here do you, boy?"

That was when Rose realised who he was talking to and she froze, hidden behind two burly Aurors that were on her side. It was Haku. Had Voldemort turned up because… he was curious about the ninja?

"I belong where I do."

Voldemort sneered. "I had to come and see… But there is indeed some of your kind here. You'd be welcome on the winning side, all of you! A waste of magical blood is indeed a tragedy."

Rose snorted and the gathered fighters were all frozen, unsure of what to do. Rose pushed her way forward, no one trying to stop her. "Yeah, we're not the stupid Tom."

His eyes flashed a burning red. "Who dares-"

"Me," Rose said like she was a simple misbehaving child, pushing her way to the front, smiling at Haku. Haku's eyes darted from the two figures. "Go."

That single word was all Haku needed to retreat from Voldemort's side, back into the large group of people. "Rosemary Potter, you are a fool."

"At least I have a nose."

Voldemort's eyes almost became slits, like a snake, his anger burning a hole in her almost. But Rose just smiled; this was all it would take. "You dare-!?"

"Oh yes, I dare, I thought we'd gotten over this, Tom Riddle."

"Avada Kedavra!"

Rose felt the green curse, skim over of few of her hairs. That had been a close one. Using her wandless magic, Rose sent a flock of birds after him.

Voldemort sneered, angrily. "Do you think mere birds could stop me!" he said this before burning the poor things alive. Rose just shrugged her shoulders, concentrating too hard to be bothered with talking.

With a flick of her hand, Rose had trapped him in a ring of fire. This time it was Rose's time to smirk. It didn't last long before a green light was shot at her from the side, causing her to duck and scowl, realising the flame.

"Did you honestly think that would work, Potter?" he taunted.

Rose shrugged her shoulders again. She conjured tables and chairs to throw up him, she tried stunning but nothing seemed to work. He was way out of Rose's level – he was simply too good.

That of course lasted until he jabbed Colin Creevy's little brother Dennis on the neck with his wand. Rose widened her eyes horrified. "What is it Potter, the boy… or you?"

…There really wasn't a choice was there, he was only fifteen. "Rose no!"

Rose ignored the yelling voice of Ginny Weasley. She raised her hands. "You win."

With a wide, creepy smile, he shot one last curse at her. The Killing Curse. It didn't hurt, she watched with dull eyes as the curse hit her dead straight in the chest, she saw his gloating look. She heard screams; someone else would take him out… Before she blacked out.

_Rose looked around, she was in the forest, and it was a nice place. It still didn't explain though, why exactly she was there. _

"_Rose, you've grown my dear."_

_Rose turned sharply to face the figure of Albus Dumbledore. Rose's jaw slackened, before some of her pent up anger caught up with her. "Why sir, why did you lie to us?"_

"_Lie about what?" Dumbledore asked, his voice truly sounded confused._

"_About the dark arts, you tried it out didn't you?"_

_Dumbledore sighed. "I was foolish in my ways in my youth. I have tried to right my many wrongs. But Rose, you have done something to be proud of."_

_Rose looked at the dead Professor with confusion before she smiled. "Oh yes, I got rid of them all sir, just like you asked me too."_

_Dumbledore nodded his head, his blue eyes giving that maddening twinkle. "You have come so far, I only wish you would have had more happiness."_

_Rose shrugged her shoulders glumly. "Oh well, live goes on – well, not in this case really, I'm kind of dead aren't I?"_

_Rose smiled at her bad joke, wondering if anyone was missing her, or more importantly, had anyone killed Voldemort yet?_

"_Not necessarily."_

"_What do you mean 'not necessarily'?" Rose pressed, confused._

"_You are not technically dead yet, my dear," Dumbledore explained, making no sense. _

"_But how, sir?"_

_Dumbledore gave her a grim smile. "It could be explained in my memories, stored by Professor Snape for you. That is if you choose to go back."_

"_Choose?"_

_Dumbledore nodded. "Of course you do not have to go back, if you wish not to?"_

_It took her a brief moment to think about why she would go back. To save everyone, maybe… Ron and Hermione would be upset, but they would get over it – eventually. But… then there was Kakashi. She wanted to go back just so he could mock her stealth that one more time. "I do."_

_Dumbledore gave her a gentle smile. "Then off you go… Oh, and I'm very proud of you Rose. Very proud."_


	19. Chapter 19

**The Hidden Countries**

**Chapter Nineteen **

**Memory Lane**

Rose woke up to the sounds of yelling. The whole of Hogwarts could have been thrown in the air with the amount of painful screams coming from Mrs Weasley. Or maybe the loudest parts were Ron's shouts of disbelief. Rose remained still though; she wanted to wait until the perfect moment to strike. It was hindered by the fact that her eyes were closed and everyone was yelling but…

"Silence!" Voldemort's cruel, high voice shouted. The mourners went quiet, but Rose wasn't entirely convinced that he hadn't used a silencing charm on them all. He was powerful enough to make them all keep silent. "You're Chosen One has failed. She is dead. Surrender now and it won't be forgotten. A waste of magical blood is exactly that – a waste. Surrender now and you will be spared."

There was no noise on the room and Rose had to open one of her eyes slowly, just to see what was going on. The whole not being a sound in the whole room thing really freaked Rose out. Slowly Rose opened her eye that was closest to the floor open only enough to see though her lashes. What she saw shocked her. She could see that people had circled her and Voldemort, both sides mixed into the crowed, but it was easy to pick out her fighters.

Why? Because they still had conviction on their faces and a little grief on their faces as well. They still weren't ready to back down, and for that, Rose was glad. Rose concentrated while the prolonged silence continued on, and tried to access her magic but she found that it wasn't working. Her magic wasn't agreeing to being used, at all. Rose panicked. What would she do if she couldn't use her magic!?

He was mortal now, so in theory anyone could take him down, but Rose had always believed that she would do it. Rose hadn't really wanted to murder anyone, but she wanted him dead. But now she wouldn't get a chance – she had no idea where her wand even was at this point. She'd abandoned very early on in the fight. Rose scanned the crowed, upon realising that she only had one choice. She did have a second one, but she wasn't fond of taking another killing curse really. She wasn't too sure if she could take another one of those and not die…

Rose scanned the crowed, trying not to let anyone know that she wasn't really dead. They'd scream, and then everything would be ruined. The first ninja that Rose saw was Haku, he looked confused, and Rose had hoped that Kakashi or Jiraiya would be the ones she could get the attention of… But, she couldn't see either of them. Rose waited, while there was disagreement between Voldemort and the Order got more out of hand.

Suddenly, Haku's eyes flicked to Rose, and Rose twitched her hand. Haku's eyes widened, and his face went completely blank. Rose opened one of her eyes completely – hoping to Merlin that no one saw her doing this. Haku stiffened. Rose didn't want to ask Haku what she was going to, he was young, too young. But…He was their only hope.

Chaos erupted. Rose saw feet running around her body, the silence was shattered and the fight was back on – with even more gusto. Rose felt her body get dragged back and out of the room. Rose would have struggled until she realised it was Haku and they were alone.

"Rose-Sama, are you alright?" Haku asked his voice soft, and concerned.

Rose opened both of her eyes, and saw that they were in a hidden passageway; Haku had taken her away from the fight. Rose smiled before painfully standing up with Haku's help. Rose nodded her head. "Yeah, they all think I'm dead, and I need your help."

"Anything, Rose-Sama," Haku promised.

Rose frowned and leaned against one of the walls, trying to ignore her muscles that were practically on fire. "Okay, so I'm going out there and I'm going to distract them all and I need you to stab him in the back… Can you do that? I don't want to ask you but my powers aren't… Well, working at the moment."

Haku didn't bat an eyelash at the fact that she just asked him to kill someone, this made Rose feel even more terrible. "Of course I will," Haku said like it was nothing, before he hesitated. "Can I ask you a question, Rose-Sama?"

Rose nodded her head with a confused look. "Make it quick."

Haku nodded, his serious expression never fading. "I – you told me that that spell, it killed you with no exceptions, everyone was acting like you were dead. How…?"

"Am I alive?" Rose cut in grimly. "I have no clue. When I know I'll be sure to tell you… Now, you need to go first. I'll distract him with being alive and… do what you have to?"

Haku nodded and disappeared from the crammed hallway. Rose waited for a brief amount of time for him to be far away from where she was. Rose wanted to know how the hell she was alive, and why she hadn't died. The other curious thing was talking to Dumbledore in her blacked-out haze. Were all the answers she needed really in his memories stored in his office? Well, if she didn't die _again _then she would be sure to go and find out.

Rose pushed herself off the wall and stumbled slightly, feeling slightly dizzy. Taking that curse really had done a number on her. Rose pushed the door opened again, and slipped into the room, no one taking any notice of her; they were all too busy fighting. Her eye glanced over to Hermione, Ron and Kakashi who were all trying to team up against Voldemort. They weren't doing as well as Rose hoped they would – Rose's eyes connected with Haku's, he gave her a nod.

Rose sucked in a deep breath, and then she shouted. "Hey, I'm not dead!?"

Everyone froze; literally everyone stopped moving one by one upon realising who she was. Voldemort's eyes flashed angrily and in disbelief. Rose saw that everyone – even people on her side, didn't look like they believed it. Rose smiled, walking forward slowly, trying to hide her limp – she was too tired to deal with this, really.

"Come on," Rose said loudly, clearly, and slightly mockingly. "How many times have you failed to kill me now? That curse really doesn't work on me."

Rose was bluffing of course, she wasn't too sure that she could take another one of those things. But if everyone else thought that she could than maybe, they wouldn't try to use it on her. It was genius.

"_She's alive?"_

"_Can she even die?"_

"_That's the second time this has happened…"_

The mutterings around the crowd of people were loud to Rose's ears, but she was on her last legs so to speak. Voldemort made his way forward slowly. "Rosemary Potter, you-"

Suddenly he stopped his face horrified. There was a sword sitting though his chest, Rose had to wonder where the boy got that thing from… Then he burst into a million little particles, settling into the floor – letting the piece of metal fall harmlessly to the floor with his robes. To reveal Haku standing behind him, a blank look on his face.

Rose smiled weakly. "Thanks Haku."

Thus Rose promptly fainted for the second time that day, but this time, she did so with a smile.

**~*THC~***

Rose opened her eyes to a sunny, clean room that she knew all too well. She was in the hospital wing again. Rose never thought that she would miss it here, and she was right. She hated this place. Without a second thought she pushed the pristine blankets back, to realise that she had been changed into a fresh Gryffindor uniform. Rose realised that this was most likely because they had nothing else for her to wear.

Rolling her neck, and stretching her arms, Rose felt the best she had in months. She felt free. But with her newfound freedom, she realised that she didn't know what to do anymore. Well, except going to find out all the answers to everything. With that in mind Rose looked around, and seeing no one around to stop her she walked straight out of the room. She was a bit tipsy, almost like she was drunk and this had Rose questioning how long she was out for.

"I do hope you're not trying to be sneaky, it's getting quite bad…"

Rose huffed with annoyance, looking around trying to pinpoint the source of the sound, only to realise that it was next to her. He was looking down at her with an amused look, and his small orange book clasped in his hands. "Don't you try to hide that book whenever I'm around?" Rose asked dryly, ignoring his comment and kept on her way to the Headmasters office.

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, easily keeping pace with her, and slipping the book into one of his many pockets. "I don't know why I bother…" he muttered, eyeing Rose strangely from the corner of his eye.

"What's with the look?" Rose asked sourly.

"Three things actually," Kakashi commented, sounding the most serious she had heard. And that was saying something.

"Alright, shoot," Rose allowed, swerving around a fallen statue. She wondered where everyone was? "Where is everyone?"

"Repairing the damage. I thought you'd died, everyone thought you died. How…?"

"Am I alive? Well, we're going to go and find that out aren't we?" Rose countered.

"That answers question two I guess," Kakashi muttered.

"What's question three?" Rose asked, with a raised eyebrow, spotting Flitwick repairing some of the stone pieces and sending him a cheerful wave, which he returned.

Kakashi gave her an intense stare. "What _are_ you wearing?"

Rose looked down, and saw the normal Hogwarts uniform of a white suit shirt, and a gray school skirt. "A uniform? I assume I'm wearing it because there were no other clothes to wear…"

Before Kakashi could make a remark, they had reached the statue that hid the Headmaster's office. Rose blanked for a second, wondering what on earth the password could be. "Can we go through?"

Everything was still for a second and Kakashi was looking at her like she had finally lost it, before the statue nodded. "Why not?" it asked, the stone mouth moving of its own accord, before moving out of their way, much to Kakashi's amazement. Rose looked back at him and grinned, happy that it had actually worked.

Rose walked through the door and started her way up the stairs without much of any words to Kakashi. She didn't even know why he was there. Although, Rose knew that he would follow her up, because he always did. It made Rose smile, but then frown and feel confused, only to end up smiling again.

"What are we doing?" Kakashi asked his voice near her ear.

"Finding out the answers for everything," Rose muttered back, pushing the end door open to reveal McGonagall sitting behind the massive desk doing paperwork.

"Miss Potter..? And…?" McGonagall asked with confusion as the two stepped into the office.

"Hatake Kakashi, Madam," Kakashi responded politely.

"Professor, we just need the office for a moment, we just need to look at something that Professor Dumbledore left for me," Rose explained. McGonagall's face was wary and exhausted.

"Of course Miss Potter, do try and not destroy the office this time?" She asked with a wryly voice.

Rose winked and grinned as the Professor stood up. "I can try."

McGonagall smiled and bowed her head. "Thank you for your work, Miss Potter, to you and your _ninja_ _friends_." The way she said that was disapproving, and it made Rose smile sheepishly. McGonagall walked out of the room with a flourish.

"You've destroyed this office before?" Kakashi asked with amusement, as Rose went through the cupboard that Dumbledore kept his pensieve in.

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "It wasn't my fault; they gave me bad news in here." Rose then came across the basin and pulled it out and set it onto the desk, and she saw Kakashi eye the thing carefully.

Rose paused for a second wondering how she would manage to pin-point all of the memories that he wanted her to see, that would explain everything. Rose glanced back to the cupboard to see a dusty piece of paper sitting there innocently. "What is that?" Kakashi asked curiously.

"A pensieve? You can see other people's memories though it," Rose explained walking back to grab the paper. To her disappointment it said nothing. She flipped it over and it just had the word _name_ inscribed on it.

"Handy," Kakashi commented, moving next to her to look at the paper.

Rose nodded her head, and focused a bit of magic into the paper, finding that it was harder then she remembered it. Before it was like breathing and now it was like she was forcing it to. "Rosemary Potter."

Nothing happened. "Rose Potter?" Rose tried, and to her amazement the piece of paper started to unfold and write a small message. _The desk, first draw on the left, under the papers and use the unlocking spell._

Rose handed the paper to Kakashi, how took it, looking a bit confused. Rose moved over to the desk, and opened the first draw on the left to see a stack of papers. She picked them up and dumped the, on top of the desk, to see that nothing was there. "Alohomora," Rose muttered, but the simple spell made her tired. Maybe she wasn't all that much better yet.

The bottom of the draw opened up like the Marauder map used to, to reveal a small vial filled with memories. She assumed that was the one's she was meant to see. Carefully Rose picked up the vial and walked around the desk, so she could stand in front of the pensieve properly.

Slowly, in case she somehow ruined it, Rose uncorked the memories and watched as they tipped into the bowl of swirling blue. Rose looked back at Kakashi to see him standing there awkwardly, holding the piece of paper that she had handed him. "You… want to find out with me?" Rose asked, hesitantly.

Kakashi nodded his head, moving so that he was standing beside Rose. Rose moved her hand, debating for a second before she grabbed Kakashi's hand and pulled him into the first memory.

**THC**

_The sky was pure blue, with white puffy little clouds lazily floating around, like they had nothing better to do. Not many people were around except three young girls playing at the park, and a young boy hiding behind a shrub watching them._

_With a jolt Rose realised that the little boy was Snape, he was watching the three little girls with a hawk like fashion. Rose's head snapped to the girls – two of them looked like sisters, they were both short, with long red hair and green eyes, and the oldest had brown hair and blue eyes and she looked annoyed. _

_Rose realised that it was her Aunt Petunia when she was a child, and that meant… that one of the red-heads had to be her mother. But then who was the other one? Rose looked at over to make sure Kakashi was still there – despite the fact that she could still feel his hand holding hers._

_Kakashi looked confused. _"They can't see or hear us; it's just a memory…"

_Kakashi nodded his eyes now fixated on the small girls. "Stop it!" Petunia yelled at a small girl who was making a flower open and close. A young Lily Evans! _

"_Don't tell _my_ sister what to do _Pet_unia!" The other red-head yelled heatedly. _

"_She's a freak! I can't believe that she's going to live with me!" Petunia huffed angrily._

"_It's not like I want to," Lily said peevishly. "We're family anyway."_

"_Cousins," Petunia muttered. "Why can't you just live with _your_ parent's anyway?"_

_Lily froze and looked at the older sister that Rose hadn't known that she had had. The older girl grew angry. "Shut up! If I hear your being mean to Lily-!"_

"_Stop it Kushina!"_

"_But Lily-!"_

"_No," Lily said reasonably. "We're family, you don't threaten family! Not after…"_

_Kushina bowed her head. "I just… want you to come with me!" _

"_I can't… I have no chakra remember?" Lily reminded her. "I don't belong there, I might fit in here."_

"_But Lily-!"_

_!2222!_

"_U-um…" A greasy haired, boy stuttered, walking up to a small red haired girl. Rose looked over at Kakashi to see that he was surprised that the memory changed all of a sudden. _

"_Yes?" Lily said her green eyes bright, looking at him not like he was disgusting – but like he was a normal person. _

"_I just – wanted to see the uh – flower trick you do?" Snape asked shuffling his feet together._

_Lily blinked and then smiled. "Alright."_

_Lily picked up a flower and with a little effort on her part she made it open and close. "I was right!" Snape declared, his pale cheeks filled with a blush. His shout caused Lily to drop the flower and look at him curiously._

"_About what?" _

"_You're a witch!"_

"_Well, that's not very nice!" Lily responded sounding slightly amused. _

"_No! It's a good thing! I'm one too – well, I'm a wizard but, you can do magic!" Snape said, his dark eyes looking bright and excited._

_Lily looked a bit unsure. "You wait, when your eleven you're going to get a letter to Hogwarts, mark my words!" _

"_You're strange," Lily commented, seeing Snape's face fall. "I like strange people though, it reminds me of home."_

_That was when Rose realised something with a jolt; Snape and her mother were… friends?_

_!33333!_

_Lily was standing by two brown haired people, by the Hogwarts express. "See you, Aunt Jasmine, Uncle David, thank you for taking me here."_

"_No problem dear, you're like a daughter to us!' Jasmine Evans declared giving Lily a hug. "Now, get on that train before it leaves without you!"_

_Lily nodded her head hurriedly, taking off after the train, and Rose tugged on Kakashi's hand to get him to follow. They dodged around many people, in pursuit of Rose's eleven year old mother, and Rose was sure she saw Luna's mother in the crowd of people. Finally they caught up to her as she entered a compartment. _

_Rose and Kakashi followed her in, to see her take a seat next to Snape, the two whispering quietly to each other. The room was already holding another four boys that Rose recognised as the Marauders. She looked at them closely, and they were mucking around with each other not paying Lily or Snape any attention._

"_I'm going to be in Gryffindor, like my dad," a young James Potter declared. Snape scoffed, causing her dad to look over at Snape with a sneer. "You got a problem with that?"_

"_Yes," Snape said, his cold and silky voice already perfected by this age. "Gryffindor is full of idiots. I'm going for Slytherin."_

_James scowled. "Slytherin is full of dark wizards," James announced like it was common knowledge. _

"_Hey, my families completely Slytherin," Sirius interrupted, throwing some of his shoulder length hair back. _

_James looked bewildered. "I thought you were alright!"_

_Sirius grinned. "I am, not like them, hate them all actually."_

_Snape had stiffened, and Lily looked confused. James only seemed to just see the young red-head girl and he grinned at her. "What's your name?"_

"_Me?" Lily asked, confused. "I'm Lily Uzu uh, -Evans and this is Severus Snape." _

_James grinned. "Names James Potter, you might want to ditch the dark wizard to be!"_

_Lily looked offended. "Come on Severus, let's go!"_

"_Yeah, Snivelious!" Sirius cooed, as the two left the compartment._

"_Your-?" Kakashi asked, looking surprised, but Rose's eyes never left the childish form of her father and Sirius. _

"_Parents, yeah, James Potter and Lily Evans."_

_! 111111!_

"_Evans Lily!" Professor McGonagall yelled, but this time she looked much younger. _

_Lily paused for a second before running up to the stool, the sorting hat was placed on her head for a brief amount of time before it shouted; "Gryffindor!"_

_Lily beamed and run over to the cheering table and sat down next to Sirius but not before glaring at him. Rose saw Snape's disappointed face from the crowd, and she watched until…_

"_Snape Severus!" Snape walked forward his shoulders hunched and the second that the hat was placed on his head it shouted; "Slytherin!"_

_Snape shot a dejected look over at Lily, before moving over to the table who were politely clapping, but some weren't at all, they just had confused looks on their faces. "Potter James!"_

_James walked forward with a swagger that told that he was arrogant, he sat on the stool and the second that the hat touched his head he was practically screaming; "Gryffindor!"_

_James got off his seat and started to bow._

_ #$%^&76777&&&&&&^^%^_

_The memories started to blur together, Lily and Snape walking to classes, studying – James coming in and trying to impress Lily. It was all snapshots, until it settled down again. This time Snape was older, standing on a hill, on his knees in front of Dumbledore – who still looked the same as Rose last saw him._

"_What does a Death Eater want with me?" Dumbledore asked coldly. This surprised Rose, she knew Snape was a Death Eater but she always thought that Dumbledore could never be so cold, well; of course he had dabbled in Dark Magic…_

"_Please," Snape begged. "Please the Dark Lord is after her, the prophecy!" _

"_Yes, you overheard that, how much did you relay to your master?"_

"_All of it," Snape said looking ashamed. "He thinks it means Lily Evans-!"_

"_The prophecy does not speak of a woman it speaks of a child, born at the end of July," Dumbledore responded. _

"_Yes, but he thinks it's her child! He is going after them all, he will kill them all!" Snape yelled, sounding like he was in pain. _

"_Surely Voldemort would spare her if you asked her to?" Dumbledore asked, and Snape flinched. Rose's hand was still holding Kakashi's, and she squeezed his hand to make sure she was watching the same thing. _

"_I have – I have asked."_

"_You would sell out her husband and unborn child?" Dumbledore asked, his voice disgusted. _

"_Then hide them all!" Snape protested weakly._

"_How do I know I can trust you?"_

"_I would do anything."_

_The scene changed, they were in the same place but Rose could tell it was different. A different time, they were still on the hill. But Snape seemed more depressed and even Dumbledore looked like he was tired. _

"_You said you would keep her safe!" Snape yelled at the older man, his anguish on his voice._

"_They trusted the wrong person," Dumbledore said with a solemn voice. "Her daughter – Rosemary survives."_

"_How?"_

"_We don't know, but it is clear that Lily died saving her. They have the same eyes you know – that vivid shade of green…"_

"_Don't! I wish I had died instead."_

"_Now what good would you be then?" Dumbledore asked his face sobering up. "Help me protect her child, help me protect Rosemary Potter."_

"_Fine."_

_Rose blinked. "He was… protecting me!?" Rose yelled at the memory. Kakashi tugged her back and she looked at him with wide eyes. "I thought he was trying to kill me!"_

_The scene changed... _

_ 1111 _

"_Arrogant, she is just like her father! Do you know what she said, Dumbledore!?" Snape ranted. They were back in the office, which Rose and Kakashi had just left, Dumbledore was sitting behind the desk, and Snape was ranting. _

"_I know that you've given her a detention already."_

_Snape was fuming. "Potter is an arrogant, spoilt little brat who is delighted with her fame-"_

"_The other Professor's report that young Rose is very likable, she does her work and is often seen helping out the other students – she causes no trouble aside from her yearly adventures," Dumbledore explained sounding vaguely amused. "Much like a young Lily Evans."_

"_Don't!" Snape almost yelled. "Potter is nothing like her-!"_

_Dumbledore leaned back a frown on his face. "Believe what you want Severus…"_

"_What are you doing in these lessons you're giving her?" Snape demanded. _

_Dumbledore looked at him slowly. "Young Rose needs to be trained; surely you can give her detentions on different days, Severus?" _

_Snape sneered. Rose looked at him blankly, was this really happening? Had happened? "What do you want from her Dumbledore, she's just a child!"_

"_You sound like you care Severus?"_

"_I don't," Snape argued. "I just want to know what's going on."_

_Dumbledore paused. "There will be a time when Voldemort fears for the life of his snake, and then… I need you to tell Rose something."_

"_His snake? Tell her what?"_

_Dumbledore leaned back. "The night Voldemort tried to kill Rosemary Potter, when Lily cast her life as a shield; a piece of Voldemort broke off and latched itself onto Rose. Lord Voldemort is a part of Rosemary Potter. Whilst Rose lives, Voldemort cannot die."_

_Rose's eyes widened and she felt panic. "How am I alive?" Rose muttered looking at Kakashi._

_Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. _

"_She… has to die?" Snape asked quietly._

"_By Voldemort's hand," Dumbledore responded just as quietly. Rose felt like throwing something again. Her life – pre-planned by Dumbledore again! _

"_All these years, I have protected the girl for Lily and..."_

"_We protect her so she can live, find her strengths, but the connection is growing. Surely you've noticed her start to tap into Voldemort's wandless magic? Severus, the only way for him to die, is the death of Rose Potter."_

_Snape looked horrified and Rose was sure the expression was mirrored on her face. How was she even alive!?_

"_You kept her alive to die at the right moment!" Snape protested. "You have kept her alive like a pig for slaughter!"_

THC

Rose blinked, getting thrown out of the memories, she was very aware of Kakashi standing next to her still. They were all quiet. Then Rose's rage began.

Rose scattered all of the papers on the desk around the floor with one swipe. She jerked her hand out of Kakashi's so she could throw some of Dumbledore's things around the office, she threw bits and bobs around the place until it was all truly a mess.

Rose blinked – she wasn't keeping her promise to McGonagall anytime soon.

"Hey stop that girl!" one of the old paintings yelled at her, when she threw a goblet at him. Rose's eyes widened realising that the paintings were back in their spots. She turned on Dumbledore's painting.

"How am I alive!?" Rose demanded.

Dumbledore paused. "You are alive because of your connection."

"That makes no sense! I want answers Dumbledore!" Rose yelled, angrily.

"I don't know how your alive Rose, I'm sorry my girl."

"You're sorry!? I was a used as a tool, and all you can say is 'I'm sorry'?" Rose demanded, punching the nearest wall. Only to recoil in pain, she clenched her hand close to her body – that had hurt.

Dumbledore just watched her sadly. Rose felt someone – most likely Kakashi tug at her hand, she let him pull it away from her body. She looked at him to see him softly turn it over. "It's broken," he announced. "You need to be more careful Rose."

"A tool Kakashi! I was a _tool_!"

"I know," he muttered. "There's nothing you can do about that now."

"What, do you expect me to do then!?"

"Leave," Kakashi responded. "Keep going with your life."

Rose looked at him with disbelief, before finally nodding. "There is nothing you can do now, but go and get your hand looked at."

"Fine."


	20. Chapter 20

**The Hidden Countries**

**Chapter Twenty**

**Vanishing Cabinets **

_****The idea of the vanishing cabinets, Fluffy's puppies, and the little Gai scene at the end is all from the amazing mind of **__Lanelle! __**Thank you, you truly are full of genius ideas. ** I know you said I didn't need to give you credit, but I believe in only taking credit for my own ideas, plus you deserve this. You are amazing!**_

_**And the guest reviewer;**__ RandomGuest08. __**For the whole fiancé idea, it made me laugh, so it had to go in.**___

_**And to all my reviewers in general, I might not reply – mainly because I'm lazy, but I do read and really adore all of them!**_

_**This story is only meant to be about the defeat of Voldemort as well, so many things that Rose has messed with in Konoha, I won't really be going into detail about..**_

_**And Onwards!**_

"We're going back to Konoha, actually, but… thank you for the offer Kingsley," Rose said with a forced grin, as she thanked the intern minister.

He looked completely surprised. "You do know that you're turning down the position of minister for magic, right Potter?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "It's overrated, plus, I have family from my mother's side over there – Ron and Hermione don't go anywhere without me so…"

Kingsley nodded his head seriously, walking away from her with a brief goodbye and a sincere good luck. Rose turned around to see the three ninja she had come with in conversation with Hermione, Ron and Hagrid – who was holding what looked like two mini-fluffy's. It was scary. Rose shivered, thinking what harm those things could come to.

Rose made her way closer, and she could hear what Hagrid was saying to Jiraiya. "As thanks fer gettin' rid of You-Know-Who, I wan' yer to 'ave Fuzzy n' Jazzy, when dey grow up they're gonna be very good guard dogs. Yer just 'ave to play 'em music and take good care of 'em and they'll be loyal for life, can protect anyfing."

Ron was laughing nervously, his eyes darting from to ninja to the three-headed dogs. "Fluffy had puppies?"

"Yer, she 'ad five," Hagrid explained looking overly pleased. Jiraiya nodded his head, giving him a small bow.

"Thank you Hagrid-San, we will be honoured to take care of Fuzzy and Jazzy," Jiraiya said sounding nothing but honoured.

"An' Rosie'll know 'ow to take care of 'em," he explained, beaming at Rose as she approached. Rose looked down at the three headed puppies, not having to have the heart to say that the gift was probably inappropriate, she just smiled.

"Fluffy had puppies?" Rose asked. "I didn't know _she_ was a girl."

Hagrid nodded his head happily. "Please don't try to eat us," Ron muttered to the dogs, that were currently in Kakashi's arms – he looked oddly like he was having fun holding the dogs. Rose could already tell he was a dog person.

"Wha' was dat, Ron?"

"Nothing!" Hermione intersected. "I'll make sure they get the proper care Hagrid, we're going with them."

Hagrid nodded his head. "Well don' forget ta visit yer three! Don' be strangers!"

"Never," Rose said smiling, and when Hagrid left she eyed the dogs carefully. "They're going to be bigger than your house, Kakashi."

"They get that big?" Jiraiya asked his voice excited. Rose eyed him warily.

"Yes," Hermione responded. "The Cerberus, more commonly known as the three-headed dog, in mythology they're keepers of the underworld or hell. But, in reality, they're mainly used to guard very important things. They're hard to come across though, because they have puppies once every fifty years. And are considered highly illegal."

"That doesn't stop people though, my dads have to deal with a Cerberus running amok in Muggle London, it was a nightmare, honestly," Ron added in.

Rose blinked. "I didn't know that."

Hermione huffed. "That's because you and Ron never think to open a book!"

"Hey!" Ron protested. But Rose was already laughing. Things were settling down quite a bit. It was nice.

"Potter!" Someone yelled cutting though the haze of laughter. The group of six turned to face the sound of the voice, and Rose saw that it was Draco Malfoy. He walked up to them, looking like nothing was going on but him walking up to a bunch of people. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Fire away."

Malfoy looked confused not getting the muggle reference. "Alone?"

Rose shook her head, and Ron interrupted. "In front of us too ferret boy."

Malfoy glared at Ron darkly. "Fine. The vanishing cabinets are in the Headmistresses office, just like you asked, now?"

Rose smiled. "Thanks Malfoy, you're not going to prison. I can't believe you thought I would send an innocent person to Azkaban!"

"It's hard to tell with you," Malfoy muttered darkly before walking away.

"What is a vanishing cabinet?" Kakashi asked curiosity showing in his voice.

"A vanishing cabinet is an object that delivers one person from one place to another, no matter the distance involved," Hermione responded, sounding like she had just quoted a textbook.

"Welcome back, Hermione Granger, Know-It-All extraordinaire everyone," Ron joked, and Hermione hit Ron in the stomach looking pleased.

"What Rose intends to do with it, is another question all together," Hermione concluded.

"A more stable portal!" Rose said grinning.

Understanding dawned on everyone. "A link between our realties," Jiraiya concluded.

"So we can stay over there and… not lose out connection to the people over here?" Ron asked with a relived smile.

"Of course!" Rose said. "I'm a genius right?"

"Not to my level of course, but..."

"_Hermione_!"

Hermione just grinned happily. "What is the plan then Rose?"

Hermione and Ron turned to Rose with expectant looks on their faces, and the ninja just looked interested. Rose took a deep breath. "Okay, so you – Hermione and Ron, will take the cabinet back to Konoha with these ninja. I'll make sure it works and come by tomorrow."

"Why are you coming tomorrow?" Jiraiya asked suspiciously. "Tsunade isn't going to be happy with us coming back without you."

Rose smiled. "I have to go and… have a chat with my Aunt about a few things."

"Petunia? Horse-Face?" Ron asked incredulously. "Why would anyone willingly talk to her?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders and Jiraiya had a thoughtful look on his face. "I'll go back with her," he gestured at Hermione. "With one cabinet, and these two," he said pointing at Ron and gesturing to Haku. "Can wait to go through the one on this end to make sure it works. So you can go and talk to this Aunt of yours with Kakashi."

Rose gave him a confused look, and everyone else nodded their heads. Jiraiya grinned. "Tsunade is less likely to kill me if I say Kakashi is with you."

Rose gave him a look, and Hermione broke out in a fit of giggles. Rose gave him a look, and Hermione broke out in a fit of giggles. Rose gave Hermione a confused look – what was funny?

**THC**

Rose was laughing. Rose didn't know how she managed to get Kakashi to wear a suit, but it looked much too funny with that mask still firmly in place. Kakashi tugged at the suit sleeve self-consciously. Rose grinned happily.

"The mask needs to come off," Rose said firmly.

Kakashi rolled his one good eye. Rose had already managed to get him to ditch the forehead protector; she was really surprise by the long scar running though his closed eye. But it really hadn't bothered her that much. "No."

Rose eyed him warily. "My Aunt is very… normal, she doesn't like not-normal things – your mask is not normal, and I need to know about my mother and the Uzumaki… If you want to come… no mask."

Kakashi stared uncomfortably at her, and Rose shifted on the spot, biting her lower lip. "Please? I won't laugh… I promise?"

"You just want to see my face," Kakashi accused.

Rose shook her head, but couldn't hide the growing smile on her face. "I never thought of it like that!"

Kakashi eyed her accusingly. Rose widened her eyes, pleadingly. Kakashi sighed. Rose smiled with triumph. Kakashi moved his hand to his mask and he froze for a few minutes – and Rose realised that he wasn't going to take the mask off. Rose sighed – it would probably freak her family out with his hair anyway. "You know what; your hair would freak them out so I guess the mask doesn't do much."

Kakashi smiled happily, and dropped his arm. Rose darted forward and grabbed his hand. "Try not to move."

"Why…?"

Rose apparated with a crack. Rose landed in the bushes in the park that was around the corner from number four private drive. Rose had spent a lot of her childhood in this park. Rose looked over at Kakashi who had let go of her hand and was gripping a tree like it was his life support. Rose laughed, because that was the exact same thing that she had done – except she had grabbed a lamp post.

"What was that?" Kakashi grumbled, quickly righting himself.

"Appreation, it's our method of travel," Rose said grinning. Kakashi shuddered. Rose nodded her head away from the shrubbery. "Come on lets go."

Rose walked out of the trees, and brushed the leaves off – Ginny's red dress, that she was sure that Petunia would approve of. She wasn't there to start a fight; she was there to get some answers. Rose walked out of the park to see the perfect yards, and the same white brick houses, that had made Rose feel like she was in a boring, bland world when she was younger.

Rose looked back at Kakashi, who was walking awkwardly next to her. He looked extremely uncomfortable wearing a suit, but it looked good on him. Rose smiled and brushed some leaves off his shoulder, causing him to look at her in surprise.

The two kept on walking until Rose stopped in front of number four. It hadn't changed any. Rose stood there and stared at the house for a good five minutes, before Kakashi softly nudged her forward. Rose readied herself before walking forward, not even realising that she stopped at the door and knocked three times.

Rose paused, she waited. The door opened itself slowly, to reveal Dudley standing there with a surprised look on his face. "Rosemary?" Dudley asked, opening the door wider.

Rose nodded her head; the Dursleys had never referred to her as anything but Rosemary. "Hey Dudley, I'm here to talk to Aunt Petunia."

Dudley nodded his head and moved out of the way. "She's in the kitchen making lunch, and dads at work."

Rose nodded her head. "Thanks Dudley."

Dudley gestured for Rose to follow him, even though Rose knew the way like the back of her hand. Dudley threw a curious look at Kakashi, but she didn't bother to introduce them to each other. Rose followed, until they were at the kitchen. Petunia was making sandwiches.

"Look whose here mum!" Dudley exclaimed.

Aunt Petunia turned around. "Who is it Duddy – Rosemary?"

Rose smiled at her Aunt grimly, there was no love here. "I need to talk to you about my mother."

Petunia's lips thinned. "I don't know anything about your mother."

Rose's eye twitched. She noticed that Dudley seated himself down, looking like he wasn't going to move anytime soon and Petunia had crossed her arms over her chest, looking stubborn. "Come on mum, tell her please?" Dudley asked.

Rose shot a smile Dudley's way. He had become much nicer after she had saved his life. And now, Rose was completely grateful for this. Petunia looked upset. "What do you want to know?"

"Uzumaki, what does that name mean?"

Petunia's eyes widened. "Where did you hear that name?" Petunia's eyes darted to Kakashi who was standing behind Rose. Rose could feel him standing behind her, stiffy.

"Irreverent," Rose said swiftly. "Tell me about the name, and my mother's _real_ sister."

Petunia gasped. "I - she, her town was wiped out, with her family – except for her and her sister. Kushina I think her name was. Freaks both of them, her sister went to live wither her grandmother in a place Kono-mara or something. Lily came to live with us, because she was defective or something. Hah, everyone thought she was our cousin, but my mother didn't _have_ a sister – I remember! And then they turn up saying that we were related? My mother and father accepted it, but I knew, I knew it _couldn't_ be possible. And the she wanted us to call her Yuri – _Yuri! _Her name was Lily!"

Rose blinked; she hadn't expected her to be so forthcoming. "It sounds like they were placed under a genjutsu," Kakashi commented.

Rose nodded her head in understanding.

"And who might you be?" Petunia asked her voice stiff and unapprovingly.

"Kakashi Hatake," Kakashi responded with a stiff smile.

"You – your one of them!" Petunia gasped.

Rose blinked in confusion. "One of whom?"

"Those chakra freaks!"

Rose watched her Aunt's hyperventilating form, and her eyes flickered to Dudley – who looked really confused. "…He's a ninja."

Dudley's eye's widened with awe, and Petunia looked close to yelling and screaming. "Really?" Dudley asked sounding excited. "That's so cool! Is that why you wear a mask?"

Kakashi nodded his head, his eye never leaving the form of Petunia. "What – what are you doing with – one of, one of his kind!?"

"He's my fiancé," Rose replied sarcastically.

Aunt Petunia fainted. Rose blinked her mouth agape. "I… didn't think she would react that way?"

"Is he really?" Dudley asked with excitement, moving over to help his mother.

"…No, we better go before she wakes up…"

Dudley's face fell. "Well, it was good seeing you again, Rosemary."

Rose nodded to Dudley. "You too Dudley. Let's go," she said turning to Kakashi, who looked like he was highly amused. Rose then walked out of the house, and when she was walking down the path after closing the front door, Kakashi finally started to talk again.

"That was interesting."

Rose nodded her head. "Now, I just need to find out why my mother got moved over here and how she got magic."

Kakashi hummed, the two remain mainly silent on the way back to the park so they could apprieate back to Diagon Ally. "Do you know who to ask next?"

Rose frowned. "No."

Kakashi smiled. "Well, as your fiancé it is my duty to help you."

Rese glared at Kakashi. "Shut up! I was being sarcastic! _Sarcasm_ people!"

Kakashi chuckled. "I don't mind it."

"Don't mind what?" Rose asked huffily.

"People thinking we're together," Kakashi said flippantly.

Rose raised her eye brow, her hand grabbing Kakashi's shoulder. "I hope you're ready to go."

Kakashi's eyes widened with horror. Rose grinned and they disappeared from the area with a loud crack, only to appear again in Diagon ally. Rose let go of Kakashi, and let him regain his balance. Rose snickered, and Kakashi glared at her playfully as well, before straitening up.

Rose gestured for him to follow her, and he did so without any hesitation. Rose paused for a second. "Kakashi?"

"Yes?" He grumbled, walking next to her. He was walking so close to her that their hands were constantly brushing against each other.

Rose bit her lip, wondering who to say exactly what she was thinking. "I was wondering, well, I was wondering if-!"

Rose had cut off mid-sentence, standing in the middle of the street, her mouth hanging open. She was looking into the owl emporium, and she saw an owl that looks like she could be Hedwig's twin. "Rose?"

Rose nodded her head, before grabbing Kakashi's hand and dragging him into the shop, she could take an owl with her to Konoha… Couldn't she? Rose practically ran into the shop, not even paying much attention to the jingle of the bells as she entered the room. Her eyes flew from the owl at display, he hooted at her. Then she looked at the sales person who looked to be around twenty.

"How much for that owl?" Rose asked, gesturing to the snowy owl that reminded her so much of Hedwig.

The boy grinned, showing off his dimples. "Jewels? She's pretty expensive, 25 gallons for her." Rose nodded her head seriously. "But for a pretty girl like you, I can do 20?"

Rose blinked and shrugged her shoulders. "I'll take her," Rose said, whilst Kakashi coughed loudly from behind her. Rose turned to face him, to see he was glaring.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Kakashi grumbled.

The boy left and then came back with the owl in a silver cage, looking slightly nervous. "Here she is, that'll be… wait… _you_…"

Rose looked at him strangely as he trailed off, his eyes darting from her to Kakashi, then finally her forehead. Rose sighed, as the boy's eyes widened. "You're Rose Potter!"

Rose nodded her head, in defeat. The boy looked like he was panicking before he settled down. "She's free for you! Thank you for defeating You-Know-Who!"

"But it wasn't me!"

He waved her off, piling up things for to take to take care of the owl for free. Rose was glad to be getting away from this. With a sigh, Rose looked over to Kakashi, who looked as surprised as she was.

**THC**

"You can keep this safe, Professor? Don't let anyone though it okay?" Rose pressed.

"Of course, Miss Potter, the question is… why did you trash my office?"

Rose's shoulders slumped and Kakashi chuckled. "I was... I was… upset?"

McGonagall sighed. "Of course you were. Before you set off again, Miss Potter, I believe Miss Lovegood was looking for you."

Rose blinked. "Okay, I'll go talk to Luna and come straight back, alright Professor? Kakashi, why don't you go on ahead. I'll only be a few hours."

Kakashi nodded his head. "If Tsunade-Sama kills me for coming back without you, my death will be on your hands."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Baby."

Kakashi rolled his eyes, but you could see the amusement in his eyes. "I'll show you baby…" he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Rose asked.

"When's the wedding, Miss Potter?" McGonagall asked, with amusement.

Rose went red. "Wha-What!?"

"If there's no wedding, then I must insist that you carry on with your tasks. I need my office back."

Rose nodded her head speechless. Kakashi just chuckled under his breath.

**THC**

"Luna! Luna!" Rose yelled after the blonde girl that was walking around the castle like she had nothing else to do. The said blonde turned around and smiled at Rose. "Hey! I heard you were looking for me?"

"Yes," Luna said dreamily. "I need to go with you."

"Huh? Why?" Rose asked surprised.

Luna smiled mysteriously. "Things need to be speed up."

"What?"

"Come on Rose, we need to hurry, the future is near," she answered her voice never losing its dream-like quality.

"What? Future? Near? You're not making sense Luna!"

"I don't need too," Luna smiled. "Let's go to Konoha. The Hokage is waiting for you."

"The Hokage? Wait how-!"

"No time, put this on!" Luna pressed, pushing a bundle of clothes at Rose. Rose shook out the said bundle of clothes to see it was her Gryffindor uniform.

"Why would I-?"

Luna smiled mysteriously. "Just for one last time."

"But – I'm leaving now, Luna – why would-?" Rose tried again, only to get cut off for the third time.

"Just do it."

Rose did put the uniform back on, but only because Luna had gotten serious. And a serious Luna frankly scared the shit out of Rose.

**THC**

Rose stood in front of Tsunade sheepishly, Luna standing behind her in her craziest outfit. Her butter beer cork necklace, her radish earrings, her crazy glasses, and mismatched stripped socks. Tsunade didn't seem to know what to make of the two – considering Rose was wearing her old Hogwart's uniform, complete with the red and gold tie, and she was carrying a white owl she felt she could understand.

"Hello, Tsunade-Sama… Uh, this is Lovegood Luna, a friend…" Rose muttered.

Tsunade looked at the two girls slowly. "I hope you can explain what happened when you were gone, Rose."

"Well…" Rose said slowly. "We gate-crashed an execution and stopped it, and then we took over Hogwarts – a school and then, Tom Riddle killed me. I came back to life, and then Haku killed him. Then as thanks Haku was given three-headed dog puppies, and I set up a stable connection between us… I went to talk to my family and… Oh, my mother was Uzumaki Kushina's younger sister - I think her real name was Yuri."

Tsunade sighed. "I was hoping the story would change somehow. Explain to me, how you died."

"You see, well, I got hit by a curse and then died, but somehow, I didn't die and got brought back?"

Tsunade sighed. "I need sake! Rose! I hope your problems are over with now, I want a proper written report on my desk by Friday!"

"I don't know how to write a report!" Rose protested.

"I don't care; get someone to teach you… Not Hatake! I won't get that report for years!" Tsunade said, slamming her fist against the table, causing it to crack down the middle.

"But-!"

"Rose should be able to get Kakashi-San to teach her quickly," Luna said with a dreamy voice.

"I want it by Friday, you hear me!?"

Rose blinked, absolutely confused, as Luna happily dragged her away from the office. Rose blinked, Luna fit in perfectly among the ninja in their craziness and ability to confuse the utter shit out of Rose.

**THC**

"Luna… Where are we going?"

"To find Kakashi-San!" Luna declared and not for the first time, Rose thought that Luna had latent Seer abilities. It would explain a lot. "Yes I do."

"You can read minds!?" Rose said incredulously.

"Of course not… The Nargles told me what you were thinking," Luna explained like this made perfect sense.

"Oh, right," Rose said, confusion was evident on her features.

"My flower! And…" Rose turned to see Gai running up to her only to look utterly stumped before disappearing in thin air. Rose blinked.

"The Waklespurts must have gotten to him," Luna said sounding disappointed. Rose looked at Luna strangely. "Oh well, Kakashi-San is right there."

Luna was pointing to her left and Rose scrunched her eyebrows, trying in vain to locate him to the left of them, to no use. Rose looked back at Luna with confusion.

"Over here," Kakashi said from beside Rose. Rose jumped about twenty feet in the air, before turning to face him, looking surprised. Rose glared at him playfully, and Kakashi smiled.

"Don't do that!" Rose protested her glare firm.

Kakashi held his hands up in surrender like fashion, but he was smiling. "It's not my fault that my stealth isn't as bad as yours is."

"Hey!" Rose protested, but it was ruined by the fact that she was laughing. Rose felt free – she felt happy, and nothing could change that.

"I see it now; you two _are_ infected by the Waklespouts."

"We are?" Rose asked.

Luna nodded her head, absolutely certain of herself. "Yes, it's giving me a headache."

Kakashi blinked and looked at Rose uncertainly before asking; "What are Waklespouts?"

"Oh, they buzz around people's heads and make their thoughts fuzzy and it makes them do silly things," Luna explained like she wasn't there. "Your head is full of them, Kakashi-San."

"Oh…"

"I'm Lovegood Luna, Rose needs your help," Luna said answering the unspoken question.

"You do, do you?" Kakashi asked directing the question at Rose, his voice amused and possibly a little bit smug.

"No," Rose huffed.

"Hokage-Sama asked her to hand in a report; she doesn't know how to write one."

"Luna!" Rose protested.

"What?" Luna asked, innocently. Rose was sure if she could see her eyes behind the glasses that they'd be blinking.

Rose hung her head, and Kakashi just chuckled. "Of course_ I_ can help you Rose."

Rose grumbled under her breath, before she saw a cloud of dust rushing towards them. Rose tensed for a second before realising that it was just Gai. Gai ran until he was in front of Luna, and on one knee. Rose almost blanched.

"My _prettiest_ flower! I am Might Gai! And you are the prettiest flower that I have seen all day! Please, take this youthful flower!" he said loudly, handing out a bright blue flower to Luna.

Rose leaned over to Kakashi and whispered; "What's happening?"

Kakashi smiled seemingly pleased with something. "Gai has found another poor soul to stalk.. er, fall in love with."

Luna looked down at Gai, removing her strange glasses to reveal her bright blue eyes. She smiled. "It's infected with Nargles," she announced picking up the flower.

Gai looked horrified. "Oh no! I didn't know! I will destroy every single one of these blossoms, to protect the youthfulness of Konoha! I'm sorry for bring you a defective flower!"

Rose groaned, not actually believing what was going on. "Are Nargles bad?" Kakashi whispered to her, as the two stood over to the side of the two crazy people.

"They're not _real_," Rose muttered back, slowly.

Luna's eyes lit up. "You don't have to do that, Nargles are very nice."

Gai paused in his ranting, only to look more horrified. "Oh no! I threatened the youthful Nargles!"

"Oh dear Merlin," Rose muttered, covering her face with her hand. This was not happening, was it? "This is not happening is it?"

"It is," Kakashi responded, his eyes on Rose and not the two in front of them.

"You're infected with the Waklespouts as well," Luna said, smiling in her dream-like way.

Gai froze again, this time panicking. "What do I do? I need to be youthful!"

Luna paused and handed him her butter beer cork necklace. "This helps keep them away."

Gai looked honoured, and he swung the necklace around his neck. It did look odd against his green outfit – hell, it looked crazy. "Thank you flower! I will cherish this until the day I die!"

Luna smiled happy that someone had taken her gift. "You know not many people would wear that."

Gai froze. "Why not?"

"People don't like me much," Luna explained and Rose shifted uncomfortably. Luna had the habit of speaking the truth even if it was uncomfortable.

"I Might Gai like you young Flower-Chan! To prove it, let me take you to a youthful lunch!" Gai declared, shouting at the sky.

Luna smiled. "Okay."

Gai froze for a second and looked at Luna strangely. "O-okay? Yes, I-I, where do you want to go?"

Rose blinked, in surprise. "Is he nervous?"

Kakashi hummed. "I've never actually seen a girl accept his offer to lunch."

Privately Rose felt there was good reason for this, but then again, it was kind of horrible wasn't it? "Bye, bye Rose, Kakashi-San, have fun!" Luna said excitedly.

Rose looked at Luna with wide-eyes and watched as she walked away with Gai. Had that just happened? Had she just- and did she know- and Rose was so lost.

"That happened right?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes, yes it did."

Kakashi turned to look at her then seemed to realise something and froze. "What are you wearing?"

"Huh?" Rose said glancing down at herself, despite the fact that she knew full well what she was wearing. "Oh, my old school uniform. Luna convinced me to wear it for old times' sake and… Wait…"

Luna. Had admitted to seeing the future somewhat… Things started to fall into place… She… hadn't? Luna had been the one to suggest her get the crown from Hogwarts. Luna had kind of given her the idea of dimension travel… Luna had said things weren't happening fast enough… Luna had dressed her as a school girl, and helped her find Kakashi, so he could teach her… Then Luna left with Gai of all people… Oh gosh, Luna truly had a dirty mind.

It wasn't just Rose how all these things were adding up, was it?

Rose looked at Kakashi slowly. He was looking at her, his expression unreadable, but he couldn't be thinking of – of _that_ could he? Well Rose was… Not that she was purposely! But he did read those books…. "Let's go get Ramen!" Rose squeaked out.

"Alright," Kakashi allowed. The two – or more Rose really, speed their way to the ramen stand and were quick to order and greet the waitress. Rose realised this was a problem when they were left alone while the food was getting ready.

She twitched, and fidgeted and slowly went red. But she couldn't get the thought out of her head. Rose's eyes periodically flickered over to Kakashi, and she noticed that every time he was staring at her, with an intense look in his eye.

It made her nervous, it made her fidget more.

Damn Luna.

"Rose…"

"Hm?" Rose almost squeaked her voice gaining a few octaves. "Y-yes?"

Kakashi paused for a few seconds to compose himself, before… "Rose-Nee-Chan!"

Rose turned around, slightly relieved for the distraction. "Naruto!"

The orange blob that had come barrelling into the shop suddenly stopped and seated himself next to Rose. He grinned at her before his eyes caught Kakashi's. "Oh! Are you on a date with Kakashi-Sensei, Nee-Chan?"

Rose's face went completely red. "I – I, y-you think that... I mean – it's…"

Naruto looked at her in confusion, tilting his whiskered head to the side. "It's what, a date, eh?"

Rose felt like being swallowed by the floor would be a more pleasant experience. She had been having… these thoughts, and then Naruto had to come in and talk about t-that. And this all made Rose realise that her and Kakashi weren't even _dating_.

"We are Naruto," Kakashi responded like he was telling him the weather. Rose's eyes widened and she was sure that she went beat red.

Naruto grinned and nodded his head. "Okay! I'm going now!"

"Wait!" Rose called. "Why, where are you going!?"

Naruto looked uncomfortable. "No one payed me to come in here and ask you this!"

"Who did?" Rose pressed.

"No one!" Naruto yelled before running off.

Rose gaped at him and then remembered what Kakashi had just said and went red again. "U-um, so uh…"

"I like you," Kakashi said plainly.

"Kakashi?" Rose asked doubting if it really was him and not someone pretending to be him.

"I'm not saying it again," Kakashi warned. "You're different; you… make me want to be a better person… for you."

Rose gaped. "What's happening?"

Kakashi smiled. "I'm asking you out."

Rose blinked, paused and then blinked some more. Kakashi went silent. "U-um, well, I'm saying that I will only accept if… You let me see your face!"

Kakashi laughed. "I guess… I can approve of that."

THC

"Naruto!"

"It wasn't the blonde lady!"

"Luna…" Rose grumbled.

Naruto's eyes darted around uncomfortably. His shoulders growing slumped. "It's not why I'm here to talk to you Naruto, you know that right?"

"It's not?" He asked confused, his adorable face scrunched up in thought.

"I wanted to tell you about my mother," Rose explained.

"I thought you said…" Naruto said trailing off slightly.

Rose patted the grass next to her, as she sat down and Naruto it seemed – was smart enough to take a hint. He sat down. "That she's dead yeah, but she was very pretty, and a nice person…"

Naruto was looking at her with curiosity, and a bit of something else –yearning. "Her name was Evans Lily, but she wasn't always known as that you know, she had an older sister and a big clan and everything. You know what that clan was?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno?"

Rose bit her lip wondering how she was going to approach this. Better to be blunt, she decided. "She was born, Uzumaki Yuri. That means that, you two were related, and that means that we, well, we're related."

She paused and watched as Naruto took the information in. First he went from confused, to hopeful, then he looked suspicious, and then he looked a bit lost. "We talked about it, and we think that we're cousins. And you know… We're family is, you know-"

"W-we're family?"

Rose wasn't expecting to see so much vulnerability. "Yeah, we are. And I know this is hard, but I wanted you to know that we're family and family stick together."

"You promise you'll never leave me?"

"I promise."

"Even if I'm a monster?" Naruto asked his eyes watering.

Rose's eyes widened. "You're not a monster Naruto! How could you think that?"

"I'm a _Jinch__ū__riki_ of the Kyūbi!"

Rose paused and wondered what that meant; Rose took note to talk to Kakashi about that later. But looking at Naruto, she knew that it couldn't be anything too bad. "I don't care."

"You – don't?"

"Never," Rose promised. Naruto threw himself at Rose, and Rose gripped the boy in her arms, as he cried.

"You won't leave me?"

"No, I'll be there, I promise," Rose vowed.

"Really?"

"_Always_."

**The End**


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